Fate: Second Sight
by Orpha Delacroix
Summary: Kaleidoscope. An ability that reveals other realities. Many other realities. Some almost identical, others changed beyond recognition. This is a tale of one such reality. Two girls - one bearing the burden of the future, one bearing the guilt of the past - dance to a lyrical sonata of love in the midst of death. Let the 5th Holy Grail War begin - FemShiro, new pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Welcome. This is my first Fate/Stay Night fanfiction. I sincerely hope I don't lose interest and I shall try my best to complete this fic. This story is essentially a re-imagining of UBW with a few changes: Shirou, and by extension ** has been genderswapped to become Ayaka, who then summons Caster instead of Saber. Saber in this story is NOT Arturia, many of the Master/Servant pairings *coughCasterAssassincough* have been changed out of necessity, Bazett LIVES. As for OCs, the main character is an OC, although she shares similar ideals & Convictions, as well as abilities. Other changes I've made include changing Shirou/Ayaka's teacher from Rin to Caster. Sakura will play an important role, Unlimited Blade Works works differently, Archer's abilities are modified to fit archery over swordfighting. My Caster is somewhat OC. Her personality is original, but she is based on an existing (fictional) character. I think I make it quite obvious who she is in this story, but if you wish to guess, PM me. Anyway, I look forward to continuing this journey with you and I hope that you could take the liberty of reviewing my story. Thank you.**

**P.S. If any readers wish to know the status on my PJO fic, Forbidden, I've lost interest in it due to a little game known as Fate/Extra. I'll probably continue after I read SoN, but for now, the spark's gone.**

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><p>I hide at the corner of the building, observing the battle between the two figures. On the right is a blue-haired man in blue tights, wearing a smug smile on his face and striking with his blood-red lance almost effortlessly. On the left, a girl with whitish hair. Her pink coat flutters around her as she strikes back at her opponent, her actions a blur, with a blade in each hand. One blade is white, white as the new moon, a dazzling star in the darkness of night, while the other blade is pitch black, a darkness only found in the deepest abyss. They spar for many moments more, and I am frozen in place, partly from fear, partly due to admiration of the pace of the battle. After an eternity of exchanging blows, they stop, separating and facing each other.<p>

The man in blue smirks, and comments: "Not bad. Your class is Archer, but without using your true weapon, you can keep up with me. Color me impressed." The girl in pink, whom I assume to be Archer, replies. "Lancer. The ferocity with which you attack is like that of a wild dog, yet your technique and form are impeccable. Truly, you have obtained an impressive level of skill with the spear. I can guess your identity right here. You are none other than Cu Chulainn, the Irish hero of legend." Lancer laughs, responding with a smile. "Well done. Unfortunately, I have yet to learn of your name. Oh well." He takes up a stance, his red spear gleaming behind him. A veritable aura of death and blood emanates from his person. Across from him, Archer's eyes widen, as Lancer calmly continues. "If you know of my identity, you know of my weapon. Farewell. Gae – hmm?" He suddenly turns to stare straight at the place where I am hidden. "It looks like we have an unexpected guest."

Overcome by a sense of fear and terror, I turn and flee the area, running up the stairs of the school hall. Who were these people? Why were they battling to the death in the middle of the school yard? As I run, I begin to tire. My heart begins beating harder, but I continue running, hoping to find some way to escape. Just as I reach the back door of the school building, I see a flash of blue, then a spark of red. My chest erupts in agony. Falling to the floor, I look up to see the man called "Lancer" staring at me impassively. He calmly states, "Sorry, but my Master said not to leave any witnesses. It's nothing personal. Goodbye, young lady." With that, he turns and leaves the building. I feel nothing other than blinding pain, and then I feel nothing at all.

Is it over? Am I going to die? Is my life going to end here? Sorry Kiritsugu, I wasn't able to fulfill your ideal. I wasn't able to protect the life you gave me. As I decide to accept my demise, I feel a warm feeling in my chest. I hear a voice, one that seems distant. "She's not dead!" It belongs to a girl, and the voice sounds strangely familiar. I feel something touch my chest, and I feel something flowing into me. After an eternity, I hear footsteps walking away. Remaining on the ground for what seems like close to an hour, I finally open my eyes. I find myself lying in the hallway where I collapsed. My blouse is stained with my own blood. I probe the area around my heart gently with my fingers, but I find no wound. Standing up, I make my way home, hoping that rest will allow me to make sense of the night.

As I stumble into the dining room, I sit down and make myself a cup of tea. As I begin mulling over the events of the night, a strange ringing goes off in the back of my mind as the defensive ward around my home is breached. An intruder. Resisting the urge to panic, I look around the room for anything I can use as a weapon. Seeing a poster on the wall, I rip it off and roll it up.

Trace on.

A searing pain flows through my body as I turn my nervous system into a temporary magic circuit. Reinforcing…begin. I pour prana into the rolled up poster, increasing its durability and sharpness, as well as fixing its shape. I barely have time to transfer the poster from my left hand to my right before the same man in blue from earlier, Lancer, bursts into the room through a wall. With his spear in hand, he regards me curiously. "My Master said to hunt down a new Master, but aren't you that girl I killed earlier? Huh, guess you must be rather proficient to heal a wound like that. Whatever. Just consider this bad luck." Moving faster than my eye can see, he thrusts his spear at my heart. Trusting my instinct, I bring up my poster and deflect the attack. As his spear is blocked, Lancer seems shocked for a moment, then begins to laugh. "Very good! A prey that doesn't fight back is boring." He launches two more strikes at me, both which I defend against through sheer luck. However, upon the second strike, the makeshift weapon which I hold shatters and breaks. Lancer seems disappointed, but advances towards me. With no other choice, I run. I run out of the house into the workshop, where I hope the magical defences will protect me. Unfortunately, Lancer follows soon after and destroys my wards in a matter of seconds.

Please, no!

He steps through the door and looks down at me.

No! I don't want to die!

He raises his spear.

NO!

A bright light flashes, illuminating the room. A beautiful melody fills the air. In confusion, Lancer hesitates. "What the –" His voice is cut off as he is flung backward by an invisible force. Standing before me, with her back to me, is a girl. The melody hanging in the air fades away as she turns to face me. She wears an elegant yet simple one-piece white dress that flows down to her knees. A simple white ribbon accentuates her long flowing, beautiful yellow hair, which sways gently around her waist. Her eyes are a light blue in color, and her face seems childish, her demeanor carrying the innocence of childhood, yet also portraying the regal bearing of royalty. She smiles and asks me a question in a voice which reminds me of the sea, a voice of beauty and elegance. "Good evening. Are you my Master?" Driven by some unknown force, I make my reply.

"Yes."

"Then the contract is complete. I am the Servant known as Caster, and I shall be the wind beneath your wings."

I feel a burning sensation on my left hand. Clutching it in agony, I see three glowing red marks etch themselves upon my skin. Finally, the glow recedes and the pain subsides. Caster looks at me and grins. "Now that the formalities are dealt with, please take good care of me!" Any answer I might have given is cut off by the sight of Lancer marching towards us, murder in his eyes. "So, I see that you found yourself a Servant. But still… it's just Caster." Without another word, he lowers his spear and charges at us. Behind me, Caster begins to sing, a haunting melody which touches the soul:

"_Not even sure where tomorrow can be found,__  
><em>_you, using an arbitrarily scribbled justice as your shield,__  
><em>_sent with faith a bird into the sky, towards the paradise_"

As she sings, I am enveloped by warmth as Lancer's spear is deflected by an unseen barrier. Coming at me from different angles, he is unable to find any opening in the field which surrounds me. Frustrated, he steps back, creating distance between us. Once again, he takes up a stance like the one he assumed at the school. The atmosphere changes to one of death and blood. However, once more, his attack is interrupted by Caster's voice. The song which she is singing has changed.

"_In a corner of this room where I kissed a purple butterfly on my right shoulder,__  
><em>_I learn the emotion of grief, as the piano emits an echoing tune of dissonance._"

As her song washers over the area, Lancer seems frozen, unable to move. "Tsk. Your magic paralyses me." Gritting his teeth, he exerts a great amount of effort, the strain on his body clearly evident by the tightening of veins on his neck. Ever so slowly, he inches towards me, before he stops of his own accord. In the distance, I hear a voice, belonging to the person who saved me earlier.

"There! I've found Lancer! But…I'm detecting another Servant there as well…"

Lancer seems to be speaking to himself. "They've found me." Then his eyes narrow. "Retreat? Alright, _Master._" It seems he's been given orders to withdraw. He looks me in the eye. "You are an interesting girl. However, my Master used a command seal to force my retreat. Sadly, our confrontation will have to be settled at a later date. Until then, goodbye." He shimmers, then disappears. Caster lets the song die down, and smiles at me. "Don't worry about him. He won't harm you as long as I'm here. I will protect you."

At that moment, Archer, the white-haired girl, steps through the door, followed by none other than Tohsaka Rin, the "idol" of my school. With her long, black hair in twin tails, she is dressed in a red blouse with a black skirt. She looks at me, then glances at Caster, and I see the change in her expression from shock to wariness. I look at Caster, and I see a fire burning behind her blue eyes. Her gaze is fixed on Tohsaka's red blouse, as well as on her twin tails. Somehow, the combination of these two elements of Tohsaka's appearance caused great anger in Caster, and she opens her mouth, preparing to sing. Archer protectively steps in front of Tohsaka, preparing for an attack, but I quietly ask Caster to step down. "They're not our enemies, not tonight." Caster looks reluctant, but becomes visibly more relaxed. Similarly, Tohsaka and Archer seem relieved. I invite them all into the house. I have several questions for Tohsaka.

Once seated inside, I pour some tea for the four of us, and we sit in uncomfortable silence at the table. Finally, Tohsaka speaks. "Emiya…Ayaka, was it?" I silently nod. "Well, since you're here, I might as well tell you about your situation. As the Servant sitting by your side proves, you are now a participant in the Holy Grail War." For the next hour, Tohsaka gives me an overview on the origin, purpose and history of the Holy Grail War. Though I am sceptical at first, I accept what she tells me as the truth. When she finishes, I ask a question which has been weighing on my mind. "Tohsaka-san, what exactly is a Servant?"

Taking a deep breath, she provides me with a lengthy answer. "Servants are Heroic Spirits given physical form through the magic of the Grail. Heroic Spirits are the spirits of legends, of beings that have accomplished great feats or who have obtained mastery over a particular art to the point where they are unparalleled in that art. Servants are divided into seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Berserker and Caster. As the names suggest, Saber-class Servants are Heroic Spirits proficient in the blade, to be more precise, Sabers are swordsmen whose skill with the sword has bought them a place in legend, such as King Arthur. Similarly, Archers, like mine, are Heroic Spirits who have mastered the art of ranged fighting using Projectile Weaponry. Lancers are those who have achieved mastery of the lance, while Casters, like yours, are Heroic Spirits who have obtained incredible levels of mastery over thaumaturgy. Rider is self-explanatory as a class: it refers to those who have become famous through their use of a great mount of some kind, such as Iskandar and his Gordian Chariot. Berserker and Assassin are slightly harder to explain. Berserkers are Heroic Spirits whose have experienced madness at any point in their lives. While Berserkers generally have the capabilities to be summoned into some other class, if they are summoned as Berserkers, they gain an ability known as Mad Enhancement. When active, it raises their parameters, but makes them incapable of logical thought. Finally, Assassins are Heroic Spirits who have mastered the art of killing from the shadows and evading enemies. Did you get all that?"

She looks at me, wondering how I am reacting to the information. As I digest the information, A question occurs to me, which I ask her. "So what is the name of your Servant?" Immediately, her eyes narrow and she looks at me suspiciously. Then, she relaxes. "You probably ask out of ignorance. No good Master will tell you their Servant's name. Every Heroic Spirit has a legend. If you know the name of the Servant, finding out its weaknesses, strengths, disposition, reasoning and even its Noble Phantasm is a simple thing." Seeing the look on my face at the unfamiliar term "Noble Phantasm", she sighs and facepalms. "A Noble Phantasm is the ultimate weapon of a Servant. It normally takes the form of an item which the Servant owned and kept close to its heart when it was alive, however, it can also manifest as concepts, ideas or inherent physical unique abilities. For example, if King Arthur were to be summoned, his Noble Phantasm would most likely be his famous sword, Excalibur. Most Noble Phantasms have a weakness of some kind, and if you know the identity of a Servant, finding said weakness is a matter of simple research. In any case, it's safe to tell you the identity of my Servant." Surprised at her trust in me, I hold my breath, waiting for her revelation. "I don't know. My Servant has amnesia, so even she is unaware of her identity" I fall flat on the floor. That was anticlimactic. Tohsaka glares at Archer, who looks down at the ground, apologetic. "In any case, meet me after school tomorrow. I'll take you to see the administrator of the Holy Grail War, and he can answer any other burning questions you may have. Then, you can decide what you want to do." With that, she stands up and leaves. Archer stares at me for a second, before turning around and walking out behind her Master.

Left alone in the room with Caster, I sigh and close my eyes, trying to come to terms with my new reality. Caster sees my anxiety and reassures me, saying, "Don't worry Ayaka. I'll protect you in this War. With me by your side, you have nothing to fear!" she smiles a gentle smile at me. "I know you will, Caster. You know my name, however I have yet to ask for yours." I inquire about her identity. Hiding her eyes, she looks down at the ground. "I would prefer if you did not know." Feeling hurt, I stand up without another word and open the door to my room. "Wait!" I turn around. I see Caster looking at me with a profound sadness in her eyes. "It's not that I want to hide it from you, but you're an inexperienced Master, and I fear that a more skilled Magus would be able to extract the information from your mind, and…and…" Tears come into her eyes. "If you knew my name, you might hate me." I walk towards her and embrace her. "I understand your concerns. You don't need to tell me your name if you think I'm not strong enough to protect it. But I want you to know that no matter who you are, I won't hate you. Even if you are Medea, the evil sorceress of Colchis, I will forgive you. Please don't let that be a factor in your decision of whether to tell me." Choking back a sob, Caster thanks me.

After a long while, I release my embrace. Something occurs to me. "Caster, Tohsaka said that magi normally use their Magic Circuits to provide energy for the Servants to exist. However, I don't have any Magic Circuits. So how will you survive?" I shuddered at the thought that Caster might disappear from the world simply due to my incompetency as a Magus. However, Caster merely smiles at me and replies, "Don't worry Ayaka. By the contract, I am draining the bare minimum needed for me to exist from your body. While this limits my abilities and lowers my natural parameters, I am able to exist and live, so don't worry. However, to conserve my energy so that I can fight, I will need to sleep and eat. Other Servants do not require that, so we are handicapped in a way…" I am relieved to find out that Caster won't disappear. I never intended to deprive her of sleep and food, so the arrangement was perfectly acceptable. However, there was one question which I needed to ask. "Caster, where would you like to sleep? I have a six-tatami room in the house that's empty, but if you'd rather sleep in a bed, there's a room in the west wing of the house." Caster seems a bit shy, but she asks in a soft voice, "If possible, I would prefer to sleep in the same room as you. It will allow me to protect you better should an enemy attempt a sneak attack." I can see her entire face turning red. "I'm fine with that. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." I see her lift her face to look at me questioningly. "After all, we're both girls, right? So there's nothing wrong with sharing a room." Caster looks downcast, "That's right…we're both girls…" Deciding that I'd rather not think about the implications of her actions, I lead her to my room. Exhausted, I collapse onto my tatami, and I begin to drift off into sleep. I feel Caster's watchful presence, and I know that I am safe.

_I dream. I dream of a throne room, brilliant in its majesty, filled with riches. I see caster seated upon the throne, dressed in a majestic yellow dress. She looks no older than fourteen, and her face is alive with jubilation and innocence, untainted by the sadness she bears now. At her side is a boy, dressed in a suit. Next to each other, the similarities are striking. Their faces look almost identical, and their hair bears the same shade of yellow. Yet, it is obvious that my Servant is the monarch, and the yellow-haired boy her subject. As she talks animatedly, the boy remains watchful, nodding whenever she says something that requires a response, yet keeping an eye on those around her. Once more, I find myself wondering: who is Caster?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: As I promised, here's chapter 2, one week after the first one. I'm glad to see so many of you add this to your favorites list, and I will try my best to fulfill your expectations. This particular chapter is shorter than the first one, and much more mundane. I intended to accomplish several things with this chapter:**

**1)Demonstrating Emiya Ayaka's character, as well as her ability to interact with others **

**2)Showing how Ayaka is just a normal schoolgirl, which in turn will cause a greater level of tension and dramatic intensity when her life is turned upside down by the brutality of the Holy Grail War**

**3)Fleshing out the relationship between Ayaka and Caster, as well as that between Ayaka and Sakura.**

**4)Dropping hints as to Sakura's role in the grander scheme of things.**

**5)Capture the slow, methodical feel of the original Fate/Stay Night (Although I don't think I was very successful)**

**As such, this chapter is more about Ayaka establishing Social L-I mean, interacting with the other characters. My apologies if it turns out too boring. As always, Read and Review, and keep tuned for more. The real action starts soon...**

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><p>I let loose a tremendous yawn, stretching my back and taking in my surroundings with sleepy eyes. I'm in my room, but something feels missing. Then, I recall the events of the previous night. Looking around once more, I try to find a glimpse of yellow, but the room is completely empty aside from myself. Confused, I decide to head to the kitchen and fix myself something to eat. As I walk, I begin to wonder…<p>

_Was all that a dream? Of course it was. There is no way that Tohsaka Rin, the popular girl, the rich girl, would ever deign to talk to me. But still, Masters and Servants? I must really have some strange tastes hidden-_

Of course, my train of logical, rational thought is immediately rudely interrupted by an exclamation of "Good Morning, Master!" by the yellow-haired woman in my kitchen. Taken completely by surprise, I back pedal several steps away from the grinning woman with a plate of food in her hand. She is wearing the same white dress she wore last night, with the addition of one of my aprons. I notice that in addition to the plate which she is holding, piled high with toast, eggs and bacon, there is another plate behind her, adorned by much simpler fare, namely some buttered toast and a small portion of scrambled eggs. Simply dumbfounded by the scene, I ask:

"Did you wake up early just to prepare breakfast?"

At which Caster blushes and smiles. She offers the plate in her hand, the one with grander fare, to me and asks timidly,

"Would you please try it? It's been a while since I've cooked."

Unable to say no to the pleading eyes which Caster is making, I have no choice but to accept the proffered meal. I take a bite of the scrambled eggs, and I am pleasantly surprised by how good it is. Caster does not seem the kind of person who would be good at cooking, but the eggs she had prepared are really good. The taste is rather unfamiliar, though that is to be expected as what Caster has prepared is quite obviously a Western breakfast as opposed to a traditional Japanese breakfast. Unfortunately, since the idea of eating eggs, toast and bacon at the same meal is rather unfamiliar to me, I am unsure of how to proceed in terms of my order of consumption. Caster notices me staring at the food and asks, "Is it that bad?" with a sad look of disappointment crossing her features. Seeing her on the brink of despair, I quickly reassure her otherwise.

"No, it's actually really good! I'm just not used to eating this kind of meal in the morning." Caster gives me a questioning look. "You see, the traditional Japanese breakfast consists of rice, miso soup and some pickled vegetables and possibly fish. So, you can see how this is a rather drastic change of pace for me."

Understanding dawning in Caster, she immediately starts apologizing. "I'm sorry Master, I should have kept your cultural preferences in mind! I'll keep it in mind tomorrow." Startled, I ask her, "Wait… you intend to wake up early and cook tomorrow as well?" "Of course!" She catches a glimpse of my disapproving expression, and immediately asks, "Am I not allowed to do so?" She looks genuinely upset. It seems like she enjoys cooking a lot. Curse my better nature…

"Fine, you can go ahead and do it. But please wake me up at the same time, so I can help you."

Elated, Caster starts to dance around like a child. However, she did in fact pick up on the second part of my statement.

"Master, it's fine, I don't want to inconvenience you like-"

I decide to interrupt her. "I'm doing it because I enjoy cooking too. And I might be able to teach you how to prepare a proper traditional Japanese meal."

Guided by some unknown force, I suddenly have a compulsion to check the time, realizing that I am, indeed, late for school.

"Damn! I won't be able to make it to school on time."

Caster looks at me, concerned. I explain my anxiety to her.

"I have school today, but it takes me about an hour to get there on foot. I have to be there in forty-five minutes, there's no way it can be done."

I begin to wallow in despair. Caster looks thoughtful for a second, then snaps her fingers, humming as she does so. The light in front of her begins to grow more intense, seemingly condensing and shaping itself into a new form. With one final flash of light, the concentrated light disappears, leaving behind a pair of yellow headphones, attached to a yellow, butterfly-shaped MP3 player. Caster gives this to me, while explaining the purpose of her gift:

"My voice is magical. The music stored in that device does not have my full power in it, but enough traces remain that it should be able to enhance your body to a certain extent. I believe that with this, you should have no problem arriving at school punctually."

She smiles at me, but I can see the exertion which creating the headphones had caused, and I am touched by all that she does to help me. "Umm…Caster. I'm sorry I couldn't finish the breakfast you prepared, but thank you." Caster smiles at me.

"See you after school, Master. If you encounter any danger, just call on me. We are Master and Servant, and we have established an unbreakable bond. Wherever you are, I will hear you."

Not knowing how to respond adequately to Caster's assertion that we have an unbreakable bond, I can only mutter another "thank you" before leaving the house.

I take out the headphones and put them on. I scroll through the list of songs, each with a description of the effect of each song. I select one that "enhances physical capabilities by creating synchronization between listener and a strong and agile knight from the past". Pressing the "play" button, I hear a wish by Caster, "Protect her, Allen", before a surge of energy flows through my body as the enchanting voice of Caster sings a song of regret, valor and loss. Using my newfound strength, I run to school, easily accelerating to a speed I had previously been incapable of. Thanks to the strange power permeating my body, I reach the school gate with five minutes to spare and slowly head to my classroom. As I wait in class for Fujimura-sensei to trip and fall while entering the room, my mind wanders to several unrelated thoughts: My surprise at Caster's resourcefulness, the beauty of Caster's voice, whether Tohsaka will uphold her promise and explain more to me after school ends, but most of all, I wonder: Who is Allen?

As Lunch Break rolls around, I put my head on my desk, preparing to take a nap, when I catch a glimpse of a red cardigan. Sitting jolt upright, I direct my attention to Tohsaka Rin, who is standing at the door to my class with an impatient look. She beckons to me and turns away. Afraid of losing sight of her, I jump out of my chair, dashing after her, ignoring the many stares directed at me. I chase her for a while, but lose sight of her around a corner. Fortunately, I see her at the base of the flight of stair, beginning to climb. Running, I continue following her, taking the steps two at a time, but she has a lead of three floors on me. I keep running up, until I finally see a door, wide open with light streaming in. Passing through the door, I find myself on the rooftop of the school, taking in the beautiful view. Rin is standing on the edge of the rooftop, her glossy black hair billowing in the wind. She looks incredibly carefree, no one would ever suspect her of being in a life-or-death tournament between magi. Amazingly, I start to get jealous. Jealous that she had the opportunity to prepare for the Holy Grail War in advance. Jealous that she is able to throw her worries to the wind and enjoy the present. Jealous of her beautiful hair - I stop the thought before I can complete it. That is just irrelevant right now. I catch her attention by calling out to her.

"Tohsaka-san, was there any meaning to making me chase you around school?" I let a hint of annoyance creep into my voice. Rin turns towards me and grins.

"No. But it was rather amusing to see you dash around school trying to keep up."

My eye twitches as I try to keep my rising level of anger under control. Seeing my display of self-control, Rin laughs.

"Anyway, I called you out here to tell you that I'm no longer able to take you to the church after school, due to certain circumstances."

I get increasingly angry. _I should have known that she wouldn't keep her promise._

"So instead, I'll head over to your house at about 6 in the evening. Is that okay?"

Relieved at the compromise Rin is offering, I agree. Rin opens her mouth, about to say something, but the lunch bell rings, signaling the end of the lunch break. Both of us look around in alarm and dash back to our respective classes.

As school ends, I sit up, stretching out my body. I notice Matou Shinji staring at me across the room. _What a creep._ The boy is nothing like his sister. He is a rude, arrogant, self-serving jerk. He treats everyone around him as dirt, parading his assumed superiority in class. Most of my classmates ignore him, which somehow reinforces his delusions of importance. As I pointedly ignore his stare, I notice his younger sister passing by outside the classroom. The two may be siblings, but they are worlds apart. Matou Sakura is a nice, soft-spoken, shy girl who just so happens to be a childhood friend of mine. We met in elementary school, when I noticed her getting bullied by some other kids. I couldn't do anything to stop them, but I approached her after that, offering her a tissue to wipe her tears. According to her, she assumed I was about to continue the bullying, but was surprised when I began to console her and comfort her instead. At the time, I was also a very shy and withdrawn individual, so I saw in her a kindred spirit. When I first met her, she had worn an emotionless exterior, treating everything around her distantly, not showing any signs of humanity. However, as we grew up together, I noticed that she began to smile more often, and she seemed to truly enjoy my company.

I hurriedly finish packing and chase after Sakura, hoping to catch up to her. I slow down as I approach her and lightly tap her on the shoulder. She jumps, startled, then turns to face me, wearing an emotionless mask. The moment she spots me, however, her expression turns to one of relief.

"Senpai, you scared me!"

She starts to blush. Amused, I take on a severe tone and admonish her: "Sakura-san, after all these years, you still cannot tell when your beloved senpai is sneaking up on you?"

Embarrassed, Sakura turns her gaze to the ground, not saying a word. Worried, I reassure her,

"Hey, it was just a joke. Are you okay?"

She mumbles an answer so softly that I am barely able to catch the words "Senpai" and "mean". Abashed, I decide to break the uncomfortable silence by asking, "Sakura-san, are you going to Archery practice today?"

Immediately she breaks out of her reverie, gasping. "Oh right! Now I'm going to be late…" She immediately starts muttering inaudible phrases, fretting and seeming to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Seeing her in such a sad state, I resolve to do something to help her stay out of trouble.

"Hey, tell you what. You can tell Fujimura-sensei that you were late because you wanted to convince me to join the club for practice today." Sakura's eyes widen. "Senpai, You're coming for practice?"

"Yeah. I don't have anything better to do today anyway. And I want to see if you guys have been slacking off since I left." I smile at Sakura. Originally a part of the Archery club, I had left the club earlier this year to devote more time to my studies. Seeing as Rin had so rudely postponed the explanation session to later that evening, I conveniently have an unexpected four hours of free time.

Sakura's eyes widen and she begins nodding happily in response to my willingness to attend. Unexpectedly, she begins literally dragging me by the arm toward the Archery range. "Hurry up senpai! The others will be so glad to see you!" Abandoning myself to the ecstatic Sakura's whims, I allow myself to be dragged to the range.

I narrow my eyes and take a deep breath. I adjust my stance and slowly notch the arrow on my bow, never taking my eyes off the target. I regulate my breaths, calming myself down and focusing on the target to the exclusion of all else. I raise the bow, pull back the string and re-adjust my aim. With a slight motion, I release the arrow, causing it to hit the target exactly in the centre. Moving on to the second target, I repeat the process, mentally repeating the eleven steps to archery, loosing yet another arrow which hits the centre of my target. Feeling a greater amount of confidence, I fire arrow after arrow at different targets, gradually increasing the speed of my actions. Finally, I hit the centre of yet another target and begin looking around for a new target, but I see none. I lower the bow, using my free hand to wipe the sweat off my forehead. I cannot help but feel an oppressive silence behind me, so I turn around to see the entire archery club staring at me in admiration. Fujimura-sensei is tearing up, and she throws herself at my feet, exclaiming,

"Please come back! We need you!"

I raise one eyebrow and quip, "Weren't you the one who suggested that all seniors stop archery for a while and focus on studies?"

I turn away and make for the door. "COOOOOOOOOME BAAAAAAAAACK!"

Once outside, I break into hysterical laughter. Sakura exits the range, sees me laughing like a madman, then starts giggling as well. She tries to put on a serious face, telling me: "You really should avoid toying with Fujimura-sensei like that." However, her suppressed giggling is more than enough for me to see through her stern face. Realising that I still have my archery gear on, I remove my gloves one after the other, before untying the ponytail which restrained a good part of my hair. Straightening my long hair with my fingers, I catch sight of Sakura staring at my left hand. I move my left hand, and her gaze follows. It takes me a few seconds to realize that she is staring at the blood-red command seals on my hand, and I internally curse myself for my carelessness. Sakura looks at the Seals, eyes widening in what seems to be surprise.

"Senpai, what's that on your hand?"

Racking my brain for a reasonable excuse, I finally dredge up a noncommittal one.

"It's a washable tattoo. It was my classmate's idea."

Sakura seems depressed. "Senpai, remember that no matter what happens or what appears to be the case, I will support you." Glad for her kind but somewhat mystifying words, I thank her and return to the range.

As my previous demonstration has shown, my skill with a bow has remained as sharp as always. I immediately think about how useful the skill to shoot straight and true would be important in the upcoming conflict which I find myself in. Finally, the Sun begins to set across the sky. I express my thanks to the other students for once more allowing me to feel what it's like to be in the Archery Club, then I begin the journey to my house, preparing myself for the worst, hoping that nothing said to me today will outclass the shock of my initial induction into the War. However, as I walk, I feel a strange, yet vaguely familiar presence watching me, which I take to be Sakura. I feel a bit uneasy. Her earlier reaction to my Command Seals was somewhat strange. Is it possible that Sakura, the well-mannered, shy girl was an enemy magus? Shaking off the thought, I continue to walk, finally reaching my home, preparing to learn more about the truth and about myself.

As I near my gates, I notice a girl in a red cardigan. She beckons to me and I follow her, mentally preparing myself for whatever may come next, be it good news or bad news. Inhaling deeply, I sink further into the unknown, into that meeting with Fate.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Well, this is a little late, but life caught up with me. Here I detail the visit to Kotomine, and the Berserker fight will be next chapter. Again, I drop even more clues as to Caster's identity and hopefully I managed to capture a bit of Ayaka's character. **

**Rin gets a side role here, serving more as decoration than as an important presence.**

** This chapter is more or less an infodump, so I'm sorry for that.** Some of the information included is probably irrelevant to the story, but I found it intriguing, so I slotted it in.****

**I made Kotomine smirk a little too much, while making Rin snort in derision WAY too often, but I'm not going to change it now.**

** This chapter feels a bit drawn-out to me, but I think I managed to somewhat capture the feel of the original Visual Novel.**

**Yes, Ayaka can sense evil auras and stuff, this is mainly due to her connection with Caster, who is attuned to changes and fluctuations in mana. **

**I'm sorry if I'm making Caster too much of a Silent Protagonist, I promise this will only last until Ayaka Establishes her Social Li- I mean, gets to know Caster better.**

**Sorry for this badly written, disjointed Author's Note. It's past 2am here and I'm sleepy. Enjoy the read.**

**As always, thanks for the Reviews and keep them coming. **

**P.S. Feel free to criticise my work, but try to make it constructive criticism, if at all possible.**

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><p>Rin greets me with a smile. I don't see Archer anywhere nearby, but I guess that she must be in spirit form, watching over Rin. Looking over my shoulder, Rin addresses me,<p>

"Good evening. Is Caster with you?"

"Hold on, I'll go get her." is my reply.

I enter the house, only to be greeted by Caster in an apron, doing the laundry. She looks up from her work and smiles at me.

"Welcome home, Master."

I stand there, reeling in shock at the sheer elegance which Caster seems to lend the lowly apron. She tilts her head, seemingly confused at my continued staring. Shaking myself out of my reverie, I tell her,

"Tohsaka is waiting outside. We should get going, Caster."

Caster's face takes on a more serious look. She nods and removes the apron, gets up, and follows me as I turn around and exit the house. On my way out, I casually tell her,

"Thanks for helping with the laundry and cooking."

She smiles at me once more, not saying a word. Her smile is so…enchanting. It is beautiful, no doubt, and filled with sincerity, but it is also a kind of sad smile, a smile which carries a burden. As I once more fall into the pattern of pondering about Caster's identity, I shake my head and clear it of such meanderings. Caster will tell me when she feels I am ready. In the meanwhile, I must focus on the War and the information which Rin has promised to give me. I step out of the house, locking the gate and turn to Rin, who is glaring at me with a look that says, "What took you so long?" Ignoring the unvoiced query, I remark,

"Shall we get going?"

I can see that Rin has a very strong urge to admonish me for taking too long, but after what seems like an exhausting internal battle, she turns away and begins walking without a word. Silently, I follow her down the street, to a part of town with which I am unfamiliar. As we walk on, the silence grows increasingly uncomfortable, and I can physically feel the animosity directed at me from Rin. Frustrated, I break the silence with an indignant remark.

"I know I took a while in the house, will you let it go already?"

At this, Rin starts and replies,

"Oh, I'm not upset about that. I couldn't really care less about how much time you took. But the fact that you had the gall to go to school without your Servant is slightly disturbing. If you had been attacked at school, you would have been forced to use a Command Spell just to summon Caster. What were you thinking?"

Slightly taken aback, I scratch my head and reply,

"But wouldn't people find it weird if they saw Caster following me around the school? And how would I explain her presence to the teacher?"

Rin stops and turns, staring at me incredulously.

"You mean you don't know how to convert your Servant to spirit form?"

Confused, I ask her,

"Spirit form? Servants can do that?"

Rin shakes her head in exasperation and kneads her forehead, seemingly preparing to explain the concept to me. However, she is saved by Caster, who interjects,

"Yes. Servants are essentially the physical manifestations of Heroic Spirits. Heroic Spirits by nature are, as the name implies, spirits, and therefore do not normally have a physical form. Rather, we draw upon our Master's prana to manifest. However, for us to return to spirit form, a change in the flow of prana must occur. Since you are unable to channel your prana towards me, I cannot change to spirit form. I might be able to do it by using the prana already in my body, but I would have to risk being unable to manifest once more due to your inexperience as a magus."

Sometime during Caster's lesson, Rin had apparently picked up on something, and thus she is now sporting a look of incredulity on her face. She simply remarks,

"What? You aren't providing a flow of prana to Caster? So she's manifesting using inherent prana. That explains why her parameters are so low."

Once more, I am confused.

"Parameters?"

Rin stares at me, jaw open. Facepalming, she calls out Archer into physical form.

"Ayaka-san, please concentrate on Archer."

Shrugging, I do as told. Immediately, a sharp pain enters my head, and for a brief moment, I see what appears to be a sort of status screen straight out of an RPG game. I can sense Archer's abilities, mainly her proficiency in certain areas, such as Magic and Luck. All of Archer's parameters seem high, with at least an A-rank in everything. I turn my focus to Caster. In contrast to Archer, Caster's parameters are all astoundingly low, averaging out at a C-Rank, with the exception of her EX-Rank Magic, though that is probably due to her class designation. Rin's words echo in my head once more, and I come to the realization that my incompetence is the reason for Caster's unusually low parameters. I look apologetically at Caster, who just reassures me with a kind and warm smile.

"It's not your fault, Master. Consider it bad luck that you were never given proper instruction in the art of magic. Don't worry; I'll fight to the best of my abilities with what you've given me."

Thankful for her understanding and support, I give Caster a big hug and a quick peck on her cheek. I see her face start to turn red, and I begin to wonder whether I overstepped my bounds, when Rin interrupts with a not-very-subtle cough.

"If you two are done, we should get going. It's almost sunset, and that false priest at the church doesn't like to wait."

False priest? Church? Much of what she says makes no sense to me. What on earth does a church have to do with the Holy Grail War. Regardless, I release my grip on Caster and follow her as she walks away without another sound. I doubt she will take too kindly to another time-wasting question on my part.

As we continue walking, a tall, looming church comes into my field of vision. Its exterior is rather…plain, but it emits a sense of foreboding. An involuntary shiver runs down my spine, and I realize that Rin must have been referring to this church. Every bone in my body is screaming for me to put as much distance as possible between this place and myself, but Rin seems completely unaffected. Putting my faith and trust in Rin's judgment, I defy my instinct and forge forward, until finally we come to a stop before the gates of the plain white church. Without hesitation, Rin opens the gate and step through. I cautiously follow, but an atmosphere of despair and dread overwhelms me the moment I set foot on the grounds of the church. Rin turns around and sees me crouched on the floor, hugging myself, face contorted in pain.

"What happened? Are you all right?"

Groaning, I fight the wave of nausea that threatens to overwhelm me and reply with a forced smile,

"Nothing. I'm just a bit tired."

Rin looks doubtful, but seems to take my word for it. I turn to Caster, and I notice that she is wearing a look of determination on her beautiful face.

"Caster, can you feel it too?"

She replies without taking her eyes of the church,

"If you're referring to the evil aura of this place, then yes. This is not a sanctified place of worship. The building reeks of dark magic. This place is more akin to a sacrificial alter of some sort than a church." Her jaw line tightens. "To turn a place as sacred as a church into a cesspool of despair…what kind of evil soul is the person who resides here?"

This is the first time I've seen a look of pure anger on the normally calm Caster's face. It's obvious that she hates the evil nature of the place, but there seems to be more to it. Calming myself down, I steel my resolve and run after Rin, who by this point is at the double doors to the church. Rin looks at me again, probably to make sure that I'm not going to faint or collapse or do anything equally inconvenient, then opens the doors.

I am greeted by a large chapel, with rows upon rows of kneelers and seats, with the altar and podium in front of us. Stained glass of the fall of Lucifer adorns the walls, and soft light, the last vestiges of sundown, streams through the windows in the ceiling. The entire place is well-lit and peaceful, and it would have compelled me to kneel at a side and pray, were it not for the fact that the dark aura from earlier still permeated the air around us. I sneak a look at Caster, and see that her face is still set in anger, and her clenched fists are shaking uncontrollably. I walk to her and put my hand over her heart. She looks at me in surprise. I tell her,

"Please, calm down. I don't know why you are so angry, but this place is full of darkness, and I need you now. So please, clam down and stay by my side."

Her petite hands unclench, and she takes a few deep breaths. Now calmer, she takes the hand on her chest and grips it tightly, demonstrating her willingness to support me. We walk to the front of the chapel, directly before the altar. Rin shouts out loudly,

"Hey, false priest! Where are you?"

In response, a soft voice comes from the right side of the room.

"Please don't shout here, this church is a holy place of worship."

I run my fingers over Caster's hand, hoping she does not instinctively attack the source of the voice. Rin snorts loudly.

"Holy? I highly doubt it, you false priest."

A man wearing the black garments of a priest steps out from the room to the side of the chapel. He gives no response to Rin's jibe, but his lips turn upwards in a cruel smirk. He turns to face me. Involuntarily, I shrink back and hold on tighter to Caster. Cruelty and corruption are literally flowing out of this man. Compared to the evil of this man's aura, the dark aura of the church building can be considered tame. His very presence terrifies me, and my instinct screams at me to avoid trusting him at all costs. Rin, on the other hand, seems unaffected, and I begin to wonder whether she brought me here just to kill me, or worse, leave me at this "priest's" mercy. The "priest" sees me veritably cowering in fear, and he gives me a slight smirk.

"Good evening. My name is Kotomine Kirei, the priest residing in this church. I take it you are the new Master that was chosen yesterday?"

Unable to speak, yet unwilling to risk Kotomine's anger, I nod slightly in affirmation.

"I see. So, would I be right in assuming that the purpose of your visit is to find out more about the Holy Grail War which you have gotten yourself into?"

Another nod. Caster grips my hand reassuringly, and pulls me from my cowering stance into a fully standing position. Once more, Kotomine suppresses his evident amusement at my discomfort.

"Well then. I should start with a history of the War. It was created 200 years ago through the combined efforts of three major Magus Families, at the time helmed by Tohsaka Nagato, Makiri Zouken and Justizia Lizleihi von Einzbern. The Einzbern, with their knowledge of alchemy, fashioned the vessel for the Holy Grail. The Tohsakas, with their expertise in channeling prana, created the Servant summoning system, while Makiri Zouken formulated the spell required for the Command Seals. The Church at the time was in open conflict with the Magus Association, so Fuyuki City, a land in the Far East, away from the eyes of the Church, was chosen to be the location of the Ritual. The original intention of the three families was to reach the Akasha, the Root of the World. However, over the years, the intention of the three families have changed somewhat. Each family now wishes to claim the grail for themselves, and attain that which it promises: the fulfillment of a single wish."

"The first ritual was thus known as the 1st Holy Grail War. Since then, the Grail War has occurred numerous times, with the current war being the 5th Holy Grail War. The War is supposed to occur once every 60 years, as the grail needs 60 years to accumulate enough prana to begin the summoning ritual. However, this current War seems to be an exception. The previous War was but a mere 10 years ago, and resulted in a massive fire which destroyed a large part of the city."

At the revelation, I gasp. My earliest memory is of fire and death. Emiya Kiritsugu was the man who had saved me from the fire and raised me. Overcome by emotion, I blurt out,

"So the fire which killed my birth parents was caused by this…Holy Grail War?"

Kotomine narrows his eyes.

"You were in that fire? I had assumed there were no survivors. Out of curiousity, what is your name?"

Once again, I feel that nagging instinct to turn tail and flee. But under his crushing gaze, I have no choice but to comply.

"Emiya…Ayaka."

Kotomine takes in a sharp breath.

"Emiya? There was a Master in the 4th Holy Grail War by the name of Emiya Kiritsugu. Is he, by any chance, your father?"

His question seems innocent, yet I can sense the malice behind it. Rather than answering his question, I look away from him and maintain my silence. However, my efforts are made futile by Rin, who interjects,

"Wait, her father was in the last Grail War? How did he do?"

Kotomine looks at me a while longer, then turns to face Rin.

"While I am supposed to refrain from divulging details of past Grail Wars, I suppose I could make an exception for the daughter of my teacher." He smirks. "Emiya Kiritsugu summoned the Servant Saber in the last Holy Grail War. He was one of the final two combatants in the War, and partly responsible for the fire."

I reel in shock. Kiritsugu was responsible for that terrible tragedy? I stagger backwards. My father, the man who taught me right and wrong, my "Hero of Justice". He caused that disaster? Was I wrong to believe in him? I shake my head, clearing my mind of such doubts. I have trusted in Kiritsugu and his vision for 10 years, and I refuse to question my belief on the claims of a stranger as seemingly evil as Kotomine. Directing the conversation away from Kiritsugu, I recall something Kotomine mentioned earlier and ask him about it.

"You mentioned that the Mage Association and the Church were at odds at the time on conception of the Grail War. So, what are you doing here?"

Judging from the look of amusement on his face, Kotomine picks up on my not-so-subtle attempt at changing the subject, but he says nothing about it and addresses my query.

"After the 2nd Grail War, it was decided that a moderator was required to keep the Grail War in check. Since they could not search within the Mage Association for this third party due to political reasons, the three families turned to the Church for assistance. While the grail created through this war, the 726th Holy Grail, is not truly the Holy Grail of Scripture, the Church cannot ignore it due to the power it possesses. Thus, with every War, the Church sends a moderator to oversee the War. The duties of the moderator are as such: To keep the Grail War a secret from others, to explain the situation and help new Masters adapt to the War, which is a duty I am currently performing, and to provide shelter for Masters who have lost their Servants."

His last statement confuses me somewhat.

"Why would defeated Masters need shelter? If their Servant has been eliminated, surely they are no longer able to participate in the War."

Kotomine smirks once more.

"Ideally, that would be the case. However, most Masters do not wish to run the risk of a defeated Master possibly forming a contract with a new Servant. To eliminate this risk, the common practice is to leave no Master alive. However, the Church is considered neutral territory; a "demilitarized zone" if you will. Masters are not allowed to intrude upon the Church grounds without permission, so defeated Masters often come here to seek protection."

I cringe inwardly at the thought of ever having to rely on this man for security. He continues speaking.

"In any case, I assume that you are now slightly more enlightened about the situation. I now give you a choice. You can forfeit your Command Seals now, thus relinquishing your status as Master, and stay in this church for the duration of the War. Alternatively, you can continue on to participate in the War."

I really have no choice. I have already decided on a reason for fighting. I do not know whether Kiritsugu was truly the one who caused the great Fuyuki Fire, but I trust in him enough to believe that his reason for fighting is similar to mine: To end the War. The last Grail War caused a great deal of suffering for many people, suffering which I know first-hand. It is safe to assume that every other Grail War so far had caused similar amounts of grief. Thus, by winning the War, perhaps I could find a way to put a stop to the War once and for all. That is my reason for fighting.

"I choose to continue as a participant in the War."

Kotomine seems completely unsurprised by my decision and simply states,

"In that case, you should leave the church soon. Seeing two participating Masters in casual conversation with the overseer of the War will not aid my image of impartiality."

Rin snorts, but complies, turning toward the doors and making for the exit. I follow her without another word, anxious to leave the building. As we exit, Rin shouts a casual farewell to Kotomine and walks away. I follow shortly after, and as I move, I catch a glimpse of Caster, her eyes alert for danger, while maintaining her image of calm. As I gaze at her, I am reminded of my second reason for fighting: Rin had mentioned in her initial explanation that all Servants were Heroic Spirits that wished to obtain the Grail for some reason or other. Surely, Caster is no exception. My other reason for fighting is to help fulfill Caster's wish. Whenever I look into her eyes, I see an ocean of despair and sadness. If attaining the grail can bring happiness and joy into her eyes, I will do all in my power to help her attain her wish. This is my second priority. With this new resolve in my heart, I step forward into the tumult that is the Holy Grail War, preparing myself for the challenges ahead.


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wheeeeeeeeeeeee early update. Anyway, guys, not to sound whiny, but could you please review my work? Pretty please? I have so many Story Alert +s but only 5 reviews (I know it says 7, but 2 people reviewed twice, so I don't count those as seperate reviews :P) I mean, I know you guys read this, and I love writing this for you, but c'mon, give me some fuel please.**

**Anyway, about this chapter: I more or less ripped off the entire Berserker scene from the original VN, with a few changes scattered all over the place. And I know that after reading this chapter, some of you will hate my guts for how Caster managed to survive VS Berserker. MANY MANY MANY clues as to Caster's identity in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and please, as always, Read & Review.**

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><p>As we walk out of the church, I see Rin looking visibly troubled. Rather than pry, I decide to wait for her to outright tell me the problem. We walk in awkward silence for a while. Eventually, we get to a crossroads. She turns to me.<p>

"Now that we're both participating Masters in the Grail War, starting tomorrow, we will be enemies."

I expected that. But I cannot accept it. I refuse to accept that I should have to be the enemy of someone just because the rules of some stupid tournament dictate that I do.

"Tohsaka-san, isn't there any alternative course of action?"

"No. We are Masters, we are Participants. This is a War, thus we must fight. For today, I shall assume we have a truce. But as of tomorrow, we shall be enemies, and I will show no mercy. I am worried for you though. You're such a novice, if an enemy attacks you, you'll probably die immediately."

"…thanks for the concern."

"In any case, don't think I'll take it easy on you just because you're a friend."

We walk on in silence. Finally, we come to a forked road. One path leads to the main street going towards the Shinto Station, and the other leads to the big bridge leading to Miyama City. Tohsaka stops at this intersection. Curious, I ask:

"Tohsaka? Why are you stopping? We should head to the bridge if we're going home, right?"

Rin turns to face me.

"No, I'm sorry, but go home by yourself. I forgot since I've been concerned with you, but I'm busy. I'm already in Shinto, so I'll go look while I'm here."

"Go look? For what?"

"Other Masters, of course."

I fix her with a disbelieving expression. She sighs and shakes her head.

"I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this time: The Start of the battles between the seven Masters of the Grail War. Since I won't allow myself to attack you and Caster tonight, I need to go take it out on some other Servant."

She smiles slightly at me.

"So we'll part here. It would be troublesome if we stay together any longer. We should part here and become enemies from tomorrow on."

Despite my silence, I'm grateful for Rin's assistance thus far. She had no need to explain anything to me. Rather, it would have benefitted her more to leave me in the dark and let Archer kill me on the first night. Instead, she willingly relinquished her overwhelming advantage over me. I have both gratitude and admiration for her; gratitude for her aid, and admiration for her willingness to do what she thinks is right.

"I see. Tohsaka-san, you really are a good person."

"Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden? I won't go easy on you, even if you flatter me."

"I know. But I still wish to avoid being your enemy if at all possible. If we had met before this War, perhaps we could have found true friends in one another."

Rin smiles a little at this.

"Yeah, maybe."

Then she notices her smile and hides it with a stern expression.

"But I'm still not going to go easy on you! But…as a friend…if you ever lose your Servant, just run to the Church. At least your life will be safe there."

"I'll take that advice, even if I don't like the church at all. I doubt I'll need it, though. I expect I'll die before Caster does."

Caster lets out a gasp at that. I turn to look at Caster, but Rin's next words interrupt me.

"Well, I won't give anymore warnings because that'd be really soft. Just be careful. Even though I can see that Caster is relatively strong, It won't matter one bit if her Master dies."

She turns her back and starts walking away.

But…

As if she's seen a ghost, her feet stop dead in their tracks. A new voice, high in pitch, much like a child's, rings through the night.

"Hey, have you finished talking?"

My vision is drawn to the top of the hill. The bright moon illuminates the giant figure which should not be there. Rin releases an audible gasp.

"Berserker…"

I stumble back in shock. Berserker, one of the seven classes of Servants. The Heroic Spirits who have once gone mad in their lives. This thing is not human. Then, the youthful voice echoes out once again.

"Good afternoon, Onee-san. I believe this is the first time we've met."

My eyes are drawn to the smiling girl in purple, with long white hair and reddish eyes. She portrays a look of innocence, which sends chills down my spine. The girl looks so out of place next to that thing behind her, it feels like I am dreaming.

"Tch. This is bad. His parameters…"

Rin glares at the monster above her, clicking her tongue. Slowly, resisting the urge to cower in fear, I focus on the shape of Berserker and view its parameters.

**Strength: A+**

**Magical Energy: A**

**Endurance: A**

**Agility: A**

**Luck: B**

**Noble Phantasm: A**

**Madness Enhancement: B – All parameters are increased, but sanity is lost.**

"!"

His parameters are all ridiculously high. There is absolutely no way my Caster can match his power, partly due to my failings as a magus, and partly due to that thing's Madness Enhancement ability. Turning to Rin, I see in her eyes the feeling of despair…and the determination to defeat this enemy.

"Archer. This isn't an enemy that can be beaten head on. You should fight it in your own unique style.

The hidden knight in pink replies:

"Okay. But what about your defense? If he charges you, there is no way you can defend against it."

"There are three of us. We can manage if all we need to do is defend."

The presence behind Rin vanishes instantly. She turns to me.

"Ayaka-san. You can choose whether to run or to fight. But if you can, please try to run away."

The little girl speaks up once more.

"Are you done? Can I start now?"

She laughs playfully. She lifts her skirt and curtsies in a manner quite out of place in such a situation.

"Nice to meet you, Rin. I am Ilya. You should figure it out if I make that Ilyasviel von Eizbern."

"Eizbern…"

Rin's body stiffens. It seems she recognizes the name. Perhaps Ilya is amused by Rin's reaction, as she smiles happily. And then…

"Then I'll kill you now. Go ahead, Berserker."

The massive form flies through the air. In one bound, that monster known as Berserker closes the distance between the top of the hill and us. Caster frantically begins singing.

"_Not even sure where tomorrow can be found,__  
><em>_you, using an arbitrarily scribbled justice as your shield,__  
><em>_sent with faith a bird into the sky, towards the paradise_"

In the moonlight, "bullets" rain down on the descending giant like shooting stars. Berserker screams unintelligibly in rage. The arrows have extreme accuracy. The silver lights striking the giant are, indeed, "arrows". No, "Arrow" is an understatement. It is like a barrage from a machine gun, and each shot can pierce through rocks. Eight shots of that kind of power strike Berserker with pinpoint accuracy. An attack like that should be able to mow down houses, but…

"No way! It's not doing anything?"

Rin's surprise is justifiable, as the towering giant is unaffected by the torrent. The giant continues its charge towards us, lifting its massive sword to strike us down…but is repulsed by an unseen force. Caster! Her song created the barrier around us which repulsed the sword. However, I can see that the blow took a toll on her. She continues the song, but I can see her body trembling slightly. Berserker once again roars in rage. He brings his sword downward for another attack, but it is once more repulsed by the barrier. I can see Caster wince slightly, but she does not stop singing. Her voice continues to flow through the darkness. How much magical energy is in that small body of hers? Though Berserker's power is immense, Caster refuses to yield, instead continuing her song while the giant strikes at it, maintaining the calm and serene expression on her face.

"…"

I must not be the only one awed by her power. Ilya, the little Master of Berserker, as well as Rin, standing next to me, are also fascinated by the petite figure of Caster.

"…! Archer, help her out!"

Rin's voice echoes through the sky, intermixing with the beauty of Caster's tune. Immediately, a silver light comes out of nowhere. The silver light strikes the giant right in its temple. The arrow that came flying through the air is as powerful as a tank shell. No matter how powerful this giant may be, it must have taken at least some damage from that. As the shot connects, Caster switches songs in such a quick change of tone that the difference is barely noticeable.

"_Should I dive into__  
><em>_the nu-"_

However, her new song is interrupted by a swing of the sword by Berserker, sending her petite form flying through the night sky.

"CASTER!"

A black whirlwind runs in pursuit, but silver lights come flashing down to intercept it…However, once again, they are ineffectual. The three arrows hit the giant square in its forehead, but simply disappear. Unfortunately, they do manage to enrage the giant further. The giant does not stop. Caster gets up, switching back to her original song. The blow collides with an invisible force and does not hurt Caster, but she is staggers back from the force of the blow, and I can see the evident strain on her face as she magically deflects blow after powerful blow. Then…

"CASTER!"

My scream is meaningless. An absurdly powerful strike shatters the already weakened barrier, sending Caster flying backwards. Caster kneels on the ground some distance away, dazed by the attack, unable to move.

"This is it. Smash her, Berserker."

Ilya's voice echoes. The black giant charges at Caster with brutal speed.

"Keep firing, Archer!"

Rin starts running while she screams, intent on helping Caster. She runs up the hill while taking out something that looks like a rock.

"Gewicht, um zu Verdoppel ung!"

Rin scatters obsidian jewels in the sky, and numerous silver lights come flying from the heavens. Even with that, Berserker's Charge does not stop. This thing is a monster. He is not merely "strong". He must be protected by some "law" of immortality created from abnormal amounts of magical energy.

"Good. Ignore the annoying ones. Archer and Rin shouldn't be able to get past your Noble Phantasm."

Ilya's voice rings out, and the giant swings its sword. Once more, the strike is reflected by an unseen force, and Caster is again flung away. She must have been subvocalising her song, for I could not hear her wondrous melody. Caster flies through the air like a pitcher's fastball and plows into the open terrain off the road. My heart stops. She must be dead. There is absolutely no way any living creature could survive after getting hit by a blow like that twice. The black whirlwind moves. The match is already decided, but its not done yet. The giant called Berserker roars and charges onto the open land. She will die. Even if she is somehow still alive, there is no doubt that she will die. And as long as I'm here, I'm certain that death awaits me as well.

"If you can, try and run away."

Rin's previous advice echoes in my mind. But she isn't here. She ran after Berserker. She must intend to continue fighting against this monster that is unscathed by all these attacks.

I know that even if I go, I will not be able to do anything. I'll probably end up as no more than a burden. But I still feel Caster's hand in mine. I remember my resolve to help her fulfil her wish. I will be killed if I go up that hill after that giant. I shake from that knowledge, but I suppress it and run up the slope.

"Caster!"

I run into the open land. And I open my mouth in surprise as I see the scene before me. Berserker is swinging his sword around I the graveyard, each swing splitting the gravestones in two. At the same time, I see a flash of silver and yellow. Caster is fighting Berserker. As in, truly fighting. With a sword in hand, she is adorned in silver armor with yellow highlights. While darting around the battlefield, she is singing a new song, the song in the MP3 she had given me.

"_My fate twists, far far away, forever__  
><em>_Aimlessly I wander to find the pieces of my heart_

_That song moistens even my parched soul__  
><em>_Scorched into it, never to part__  
><em>_Until the day I see your smile..."_

Her movements are fluid as she dashes around the battlefield. I take note of the sword in her hand. It is of exquisite make, with a silver blade adorned with carvings of the name "Allen". The cross-hilt is a dazzling yellow, and the edge of the blade glints in the sky, its sharpness unparalleled. Berserker releases an angry cry. Caster holds the advantage in this setting. In such a restrictive environment, the advantage goes to the one who has a smaller body and thus better mobility. Berserker is hindered by obstacles, while there's nothing in Caster's way. I'm sure a hindrance of this degree is trivial for Berserker, but it's an advantage nonetheless.

"This way! You'll get hit if you stay there!"

I turn and see Rin hiding behind a tombstone, some distance away. She seems furious.

"What are you doing? I told you to run away, right? Or did you not hear me!"

I join her behind the tombstone, before replying,

"I can't just run away, right? Not with Caster battl-"

"What? How could you reach that conclusion! Can't you tell that you'll only be a bother to us since you can't fight! It can't be helped if you die trying to make a difference, but it'd be meaningless if you die doing nothing!"

I lower my eyes in apology.

"Anyway, you're not hurt, so run away right now! That Ilyasviel girl intends to murder us all."

"I know that. But I can't run away. Caster's fighting, so I can't run away by myself."

Rin glares condescendingly at me.

"That's a line for someone who can make a difference. You'll just die a meaningless death, as you can't do anything to support her. This is your last warning. Just run away."

"No. There has to be at least something I can do, as long as I'm alive."

We stare at each other for a while, before Rin sighs deeply.

"It doesn't matter. I don't think there's a need to run away any. I don't think Caster will lose now."

Rin peeks out from behind the gravestone. The battle between the Servants is continuing without change. Berserker's attacks smash through empty space and only destroy his surroundings. Between his attacks, Caster dashes in, continuously striking at Berserker without even dirtying her armor, the image of grace and elegance. My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere humans. Instead, I am fascinated. This scene makes me accept everything, and I strengthen my belief that with Caster's support, any opponent will fall.

"Hmmm…She's definitely a Caster, but that movement and ferocity is more akin to a Servant of the Saber class. She must be using some kind of physical enhancement spell. But for a simple spell to bring a Caster up to the level of a Saber, who is she?"

Rin mutters to herself.

"Um, Rin…Exactly what happened?"

She looks at me, then explains,

"After Berserker arrived at this battleground, he found Caster kneeling on the floor, injured. However, when he moved in for the kill, Caster began singing that song that she's still singing right now, and the armor and sword manifested. Then she began moving as you see now. Your Caster is…remarkable."

Her last admission takes me by surprise. However, before I have a chance to respond, she shouts,

"She got him!"

Just as she said, Caster's blade must have hit Berserker, or he must have lost his footing. Berserker's body, holding firm until now, loses its balance. The giant roars and lashes out desperately. Caster dodges the strike by jumping back, and holds her sword with both hands. As his desperate attack is dodges, Berserker loses his balance further. Caster bends her knee, ready to charge in with the strength that her song grants her. Right then…

"Archer? What do you mean, get away?"

I hear Rin's confused voice, and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place. It's coming from…behind me. Turning around, I see the outline of the Archer in pink standing on a rooftop hundreds of miles away, readying her bow. It's a bow no different from before, used for an attack that is unable to even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit. There should be no reason to see it as overly threatening. Yet… what she is notching in the bow is not an "arrow", but something completely different.

And the intent to kill isn't just directed at Berserker.

"Caster!"

Before I realise it, I break cover and run to Caster.

She turns at me with a confused look, not breaking her song, but stopping her attack on Berserker. I feel the danger coming up behind me. I run to her at full speed and grab her arm. As she looks at me with further confusion, I tell her,

"I'll explain later! Come on!"

She nods and follows me as I jump away from Berserker.

The "arrow" is released.

Archer's arrows have been ineffective so far. Berserker ignores it, as if saying it is not worth blocking. But at that moment, the towering giant turns his back towards us and attacks the arrow with all his might, letting loose a huge bellow as he does so. The blade strikes the "arrow"

In that instant, all sound is lost.

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><p><strong>SECOND AUTHOR'S NOTE: HA! bet you didn't expect another note. But this chapter warrants it.<strong>

** Firstly: Yay, cliffhanger! :D**

**Secondly: Before anyone says "WAT." with regards to Caster's physical abilities, it shall be explained in due time. If you REALLY want an answer about it NOW, Google the lyrics of the songs she sings to find out her identity, then Google the lyrics of the enhancement song and find out its name. Of course, this will definitely spoil part of the story for you, as it openly exposes her identity.**

**Thirdly: JimboBob, I shall now address your questions about whether Caster is a trap. Think about Caster's reaction after finding out that a _CHURCH_ has been defiled. Then think about the out what series the song belongs to. Look at what happens in the 3rd-last verse onwards of the final song in the series. Think about what it means. There's your answer.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Hello. This is a bit of a late update, and kinda short too. I've been kinda busy with life, so...yeah...Anyway, from what I've seen, most of you have guessed Caster's identity by now, not that I didn't expect you to. More importantly, this is getting close to the bit where my story branches off from Kinoku Nasu's. I hope you guys stay tuned and keep reading XD. Also, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. PLEASE. I NEED FEEDBACK. I need to know what I'm doing wrong, what I'm doing right and how I can improve. C'mon, people, a little support WOULD be nice, you know?**

**Anyway, on to the chapter. A relatively boring chapter, setting the stage for the conflict later. Again, much of the dialogue is taken straight from the visual novel, and expect me to do so for another 2-3 chapters, at least. The plot of this story will only change from the original somewhere around the incident surrounding Rider's Blood Fort Andromeda, so...yeah. **

**Also, Question: should I or should I not include the sex scene (tantric ritual) later on? I thought of another way to let Ayaka transfer her energy to Caster, but I don't know if I should keep the sex scene instead as a tribute to the original. PM me and let me know your opinion, okay?**

**Anyway, enjoy the read, and again, REVIEW.**

**Oh yeah, almost forgot. I figured this is a good time to start typing this as any, so...**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS. YES, NONE. NOT EVEN THE OCS BELONG TO ME. THE PREMISE DOES NOT BELONG TO ME, THE CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME, THE PLOT AS OF THIS POINT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING THAT TRULY BELONGS TO ME IS PROBABLY THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE.**

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><p>The danger is still coming. It is imminent. I throw myself over Caster and brace myself, hoping I am enough to shield her from whatever is coming. She mouths something at me, but it escapes my ears. Maybe I've gone deaf, as I can't hear anything. All I can feel is the heat boiling my skin and the earth shaking under me, the evidence of a cataclysm. Countless pieces of debris fly through the air, and I feel the warm wetness of blood down my back as something pierces it. The pain kicks in, and threatens to overwhelm me, but I grit my teeth and endure. My nerves feel like they are on fire, I can barely think straight through the pain-induced fog. But still, <em>I endure<em>.

The blinding light fades away into nothingness. It must have lasted only an instant, though the ordeal felt much longer. Somehow, I manage to pull through, surviving the destruction. I open my eyes and look around. My vision is hazy, but I can clearly see that the cemetery is ablaze. In the middle of the inferno, standing upright and tall, is the imposing figure of Berserker.

"Wha…"

Caster looks on in astonishment, as do I. In an instant, in that single flash of bright light, Archer's attack razed the cemetery. In the middle of the devastation, created by that single attack, is a massive crater, in which Berserker stands, alive. Archer has created this scene of devastation. But Berserker still stands in spite of such abolition.

"Berserker…He is unharmed even though he took a direct hit from an A-Rank Noble Phantasm…"

Caster's voice is weak and uncertain. Sparks, the offspring of the fire, are flying through the night air. The black giant is standing still in the middle of the fire, and everyone watches this terrifying spectacle without words. The only sound in the surrounding is the crackling of the flames. As I wait to see what happens next, I feel something cold and hard touch my foot. I look down and set my eyes upon…

"A sword?"

No. I understand. This is no sword. It is an "arrow". It is an arrow with a gorgeous hilt and spiral blade. Even if it may be in the form of a sword, it is an "arrow" if used as a projectile. I am unsure as to why it catches my attention so much. As I watch, the "arrow" broken by Berserker fades away into nothingness, like candy melting under the heat. A swell of nausea threatens to overtake me, but I somehow manage to restrain my gag reflex. Caster turns to me.

"Ayaka…Was that…?"

"That was Archer's arrow. I don't know anything else about it."

I raise my head to look at Archer, who is still standing in the distance. So far away, I should be unable to see her face. Yet somehow, I am able to do so, and I can see her staring directly at me, her face an unreadable mask, other than the clearly visible sense of disappointment. But this disappointment is directed at me. In that moment, I know. Berserker was not her only target when she fired that arrow.

I feel a headache. The chill running down my back refuses to dissipate. Just by looking at her, my spine burns like the way it does when I fail to create an artificial Magic Circuit.

"Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rin. Your Archer's pretty good."

That youthful voice echoes through the air.

"All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over with first, but I've changed my mind."

Berserker wavers, then retreats through the fire.

"What? You're running away after all this?" Rin sounds aggravated.

"Yup. I've changed my mind. I don't want Caster, but I'm interested in Archer now. So I'll let you live for a bit longer." Ilya giggles. "Well then, goodbye. Let's play again, Onee-chan."

She turns and walks away from us. Rin must not intend to follow her, no matter what she said earlier. Even I can tell that we were spared by Ilya tonight. So I doubt Rin will go out of her way to seek out such a reckless fight.

"Master. Thank you very much for saving my life. However, I never knew you were so daring!"

I look at her, confused by her second statement. Seeing my confusion, Caster's lips turn up at the corners as she continues her statement.

"Even though we're both girls…"

I finally notice the compromising position which Caster and I have assumed after I shielded her with my body. Immediately, I push myself off of her and scuttle away, blood rushing to my cheeks. Caster laughs as she stands up.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed, Master."

Still blushing, I murmur a quiet "That's not funny." And try to get on my feet. As I exert the effort to stand, my knees give in, and I collapse on the ground.

"That's…strange…"

My vision is getting less clear by the minute, and I begin to see double of everything. Caster looks at me, still joking, and says,

"Wow, was it that bad? Ummm…I'm sorry, and…Wait, Ayaka! Your Back!"

All the jest is gone from her voice as she spots something wrong with me. I'm unable to see her face clearly, probably due to my splitting headache. Caster supports me and puts her hand behind my back. A sharp pain runs along my back.

"I'm sorry Master. It's dangerous to leave this here. I have to remove it. This may hurt quite a lot."

Before I can respond to her words, Caster forcefully pulls something out of my back. The pain is manageable. I am after all, a magus, even if I am just an amateur. However, while it is manageable, It still makes me wince.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Caster apologises frantically.

"Don't worry about it. Thank you, Caster."

"Huh. That's strange." Caster's tone changes from apologetic to puzzled in less than a second.

"What is?"

"Your wound…is healing itself."

That information takes me by surprise. That is odd. I am nowhere near the level of being able to heal myself with magic, much less subconsciously.

"Are you alright, Ayaka-san?"

Rin comes running toward us. I raise my hand to indicate that I am fine. She breathes what seems to be a sigh of relief.

"I see. Then let's go. People might come here with all the commotion we caused."

Rin runs out of the cemetery, her long hair fluttering behind her in the wind. However, as I take a step forward to follow her, My world turns white.

"Master?"

I feel somebody support me as I begin to fall to the ground. But the feeling fades soon enough, along with all my other senses. All I can feel is this strange throbbing within me. What's causing this? And why do I feel this strange sense of discomfort? I'm about to fall unconscious, but my head refuses to stop throbbing. The world continues fading, and I close my eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Where am I…?<em>

_The world around me is a desert, its surface baked by scorching heat. The sky above is a fiery spectacle, and there are thousands of swords littered around by my feet. It seems like the aftermath of a war. It is an artificial world, with no living things whatsoever. The wind courses through the forest of swords. Each sword is a tree in the forest. _

_It's not just ten or twenty._

_Not a hundred of two hundred._

_No matter how many there are, if it is impossible for them to be counted, they might as well be infinite. But it does not matter. In this artificial world, with no living things, there is no one to wield these swords. They are rusting from underuse. This is a graveyard of swords. As I survey it, Only one thought passes through my mind. _

"_How depressing…"_

_Depressing, for it represents ruin and loss. Depressing, in that I feel completely at ease here. Depressing, because I feel that I belong here, among these ruined swords, these shattered dreams._

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><p>My vision returns. I don't know how long it's been, but I can feel the warmth of the Sun. Someone is sitting over me.<p>

"…That Dream…"

I open my eyes and recall the dream. A hill-no, a graveyard of swords. I am positive that the dream had its origin in seeing that strange "arrow" used by Archer, as well as that magnificent sword of Caster's.

"Oh, you're awake? If you're alright now, that's good."

Rin snaps me out of my reverie with her bored voice. She is looking straight down at me. I stare back at her.

"!"

I jump up, causing her to fall off of me on the ground.

"Tohsaka-san? What are you doing in my house? More specifically, what are you doing in my room?"

I look around, confused. Last I remember, I was lying in Caster's arms in the cemetery. What happened?

"How did I get here? Weren't we at the cemetery?"

She looks at me, exasperated.

"Shouldn't it be blindingly obvious?"

As my confused mind tries to put together the pieces, I realise that she is right.

"Oh. I'm guessing you carried me here after I passed out?"

"Wow, you're sharper than I thought. You're confused, but you're thinking as well. Yeah, this is certainly interesting."

I am conflicted as to whether to feel complimented, or insulted. I decide to change the topic.

"Then it's only been half a day? If you were able to get me home, does that mean we were able to get away?"

"Yup. I'm glad you're so smart."

Not bothering to hide the sarcasm in her voice, she starts to leave. In her eyes, I see a message. The reason for her abrupt departure. Her eyes scream out the message to me.

"_We are enemies."_

As she turns to leave, I ponder the implications of her silent message and I realize that she is right. Last night, I made a vow to fight in this war. This means that I have to fight her. Resigning myself to fate, I let out a sigh.

"Well then, Tohsaka-san. I'm sorry. And this might be a little late, but thank you very much."

She stops in her tracks and turns back to me.

"Hold on. Why are you thanking me?"

"Well, you helped me, right? I'm even more thankful for that if you're my enemy."

Rin lets out another resigned sigh and walks back into the room.

"Sit right there, Ayaka-chan."

She gestures to the tatami mat.

"…?"

I have no idea what she wants, but I can sense that it'll be bad if I don't obey. Favoring my life over my pride, I sit down on the indicated spot. Rin sits opposite me, then looks me in the eye.

"Look, Ayaka-chan. I'll tell you right now, since you don't seem to understand. You'll die if you keep holding on to that way of thinking."

Her words are unexpected. Confused, I ask,

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm telling you not to thank your enemies. You'll die a hundred times over if you're worried about such a thing. Look, others are just obstacles. Don't think that they're like you just because they have a human form or because they have the ability to speak."

I understand her point. Since I have decided to fight, I must view my enemies merely as obstacles to be defeated. I must be willing to not look upon them as equals. She makes sense. Her logic is flawless. She is completely right. However, there is one thing which doesn't make sense in this.

"Are you listening to me?" Rin cuts in. "The Holy Grail War is just a war to kill each other, so you can't consider other Masters as human beings, or you'll never find the resolve to kill them in cold blood. When you enter this War, you should be prepared to kill anyone in your way, even your own family. Geez, this is the first rule of being a Master."

The strange point keeps tugging at me, until I finally voice my question.

"I understand, Tohsaka-san. But I do want to know: If you think that way, why didn't you kill me?"

She abandons her lecturing pose and covers her face with her hand.

"uh… That's because…" She grumbles angrily. "H-Heh. I just didn't feel like it. It wasn't fair to get you while you were sleeping after your Servant distracted Berserker in that fight. So I just wasn't in the mood."

Her words sound like a hastily-made-up excuse, and I do not buy it at all.

"Didn't you just say something like doing anything to win?"

Her lie failing, I see Rin grasping for a way to keep control of the situation.

"Yes. So this is a mistake on my part. It was a mistake I made because I know I'm stronger."

She seems to be convincing herself more than me.

"A-Anyway, that's all I had to say. Ask your Servant about the rest."

She stands up and leaves for sure this time.

"Goodbye. We'll be enemies the next time we meet, so be prepared."

And with that, she disappears. I guess it really must have been a whim of hers to carry me over here and treat me. She left with no regret or sentiment, leaving only the line that we're enemies. I review what happened to me in the last two days.

I have been attacked thrice. I was saved by Rin the first time, saved by Caster the second, and saved, in a way, by Archer the third time. I may be new to this War, but I have to get used to it quick or I will undoubtedly die.

"Huh. I guess I get to live out your ideal after all, Kiritsugu."

I became a magus to protect others, to be a hero. Now I have the chance to carry out that purpose. I have 2 reasons for my participation in the War: First, to help Caster fulfill her wish. Second, to stop the fighting by any means possible. As seen by the fire last night, as well as the destruction caused by Berserker, when the Masters fought, innocents could get hurt. People are in danger from the mere presence of this conflict, and thus I make this my goal: To end the conflict. My only wish is to end the War. I care nothing for the Grail, but I will not stand idly by while innocents are at risk. This is my wish. This is my dream. This is my ideal.

Steeling my resolve for the fights ahead, I make a vow. A vow to myself, as well as to Kiritsugu.

I will perservere.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: It's been a long time. How have you been? I've been fine, with my life killing any time I might have to write. I want to apologise, so here's a longer chapter than usual. In fact, I'm not even going to beg for review this time round because I have given up on getting any. So please do read and enjoy this chapter. And review or PM me f you wish. For Literature. You Monster.**

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><p>I look through the house. I look everywhere someone could possibly be, including all the guest rooms, but I can't find Caster.<p>

"Huh. That's odd."

No matter how hard I look, Caster is nowhere to be found. I guess Servants are able to turn into spirit form, but Caster herself admitted that she couldn't do that due to my lack of ability. As a Master, I know nothing about my Servant. I don't understand who she is; I don't understand how she exists in this world. However, the only thing I do understand is that I'm confident that with her by my side, I have the ability to come out of this strange conflict on top. The image of her dancing lithely around Berserker appears in my mind. Such grace. Such beauty.

"She's not here either…"

I've searched throughout the house. It may be a big house, but I know it inside out, the result of countless hours spent playing hide-and-seek with Fuji-nee when I was a child. I know the most efficient way of searching through the house. Seeing as I am unable to find Caster even after employing my secret method, I conclude that she is either in the dojo or in the shed.

I decide to test my guess by checking the dojo first. As I approach, I hear Caster's voice being carried over the air, singing a sweet, wordless melody. I open the door to the dojo and see Caster within. However, her appearance is different from yesterday. Sitting in _seiza_ on the wooden floor, she is no longer wearing her elegant white dress or her elaborate yellow garments, but is clothed in simpler garb. She is wearing a simple white collared button-up blouse with long sleeves, accentuated by a yellow ribbon just under her collar. She is also wearing a long, white, knee-length skirt, accompanied by yellow frills around its hem. It is a style which demonstrates a kind of simple nobility, elegance and beauty combined in a minimalist manner. In other words, it is a perfect outfit for Caster. Confronted with her beauty, I merely stand by the doorway, speechless, as I take in the sight. She is sitting on the floor, eyes closed, humming the wordless tune I heard from outside. Her face is the picture of serenity, and she sits with a regal bearing, exuding a confusing mixture of friendliness and authority. As she sits there, I continue gazing upon the image of beauty.

"Caster."

I call out to her. She opens her eyes and returns my gaze with her cyan eyes. Said eyes widen, and she smiles at me.

"Ayaka, you're finally awake!"

Her high-pitched voice rings through the dojo, it's crystal quality reverberating through the resonant hall.

"Yeah, I just got up. What are you doing here?"

"I was resting. I already treated you to the best of my ability, so there was nothing more for me to do. So, I decided to make conserve my energy and calm my mind."

"Why the dojo, though?"

"It's a peaceful place. It reminds me of the church I used to call home. And…sound travels very well in here. I…like to hear myself when I sing."

As she says the last part, Caster's face turns red from embarrassment, and she tilts her head slightly to hide it. As she does so, it strikes me how cute she is when she gets embarrassed. I feel my heartbeat intensify. Caster notices me staring, and a concerned look comes across her face.

"Ayaka? What is it? Could it be that your body is still…?"

"N-No, there's no problem, I'm just perplexed for my own reasons, so don't worry!"

Unconvinced, Caster approaches me and puts her hand on my forehead. As her skin makes contact with mine, my heartbeat intensifies even further. I take a step back and reassure her once more.

"No, really, there's nothing wrong."

Caster tilts her head, confused by my actions. I can feel blood rushing to my face as I am confronted by the _moe _factor of this act, and I turn away from her, deliberately looking away from her as I calm my pounding heart. Softly, I begin murmuring to myself.

"Calm down. What am I so tense about? She's another girl. We're both girls. So why do I feel so strange?"

I take a deep breath, but the pounding of my heart does not seem to die down quickly. In fact, I doubt it ever will.

"Geez, why did she have to get changed into something so cute?"

I complain without meaning to. Caster's clothes seem designed to accentuate the feeling of innocence that she possesses, while amplifying the level of her beauty. I thought I knew how amazingly beautiful she was, but her new set of clothes forces me to confront it head on. Perhaps the elegance and poise with which she wore her battle attire caused me to pay less attention to her beauty due to its surrealism, but when she dresses so simply, so cutely, my heart threatens to jump out of my throat.

"Ayaka."

I tense up the moment our eyes meet. But I didn't search the house for her just to say nothing. I'm troubled, and I'm confused, but I can't stay quiet forever.

"May I, Caster? It'll be the first time we sit down and talk."

I make up my mind and speak up. Caster looks perplexed, but nods and gestures for me to go ahead. As I bend my knees under me and sit in _seiza_, I notice a look of resolution enter Caster's eyes. I open my mouth to speak, but Caster interrupts me.

"Ayaka, before you start, there is something pertaining to last night that I want to talk to you about."

Her voice is quiet, missing its usual youthful exuberance.

"All right, what is it?"

Caster's lips form a firm line, and she begins,

"It's about last night. You are my Master. While I'm really grateful for what you did, it gets a bit scary for me when you take such actions. Battle is my duty, so you have to concentrate on your role."

"Last night?"

I think about what I did last night. Is she referring to me pushing her out of the way of Archer's attack?

"Well, I can't help it. You were doing your best, so that was the least I could do. It's only natural to lend aid when your partner is in danger."

Caster stares at me like an interesting specimen.

"What is it, Caster?"

"I'm just surprised. You barely know anything about us Servants, but you already have that much faith in me? I'm surprised to find anyone who is willing to show that level of trust, even toward a friend."

"Well, you did promise to protect me, and you have saved me several times now, so if I were to not trust you, it'd be just unhealthy paranoia on my part."

Caster looks at me with surprise.

"Err…that _is _what you said right? Did I have the wrong idea about our contract?"

Hurriedly, Caster shakes her head.

"Of course, you're right. And I truly do appreciate your words. If you didn't interfere, I would probably have died. So thank you again. While I dislike your method of protecting me, your intention was good."

"I see. That's good. I acted out of desperation, but that was good, huh?"

Caster's eyes narrow and she puts on a stern face.

"Yes. But please try not to do that again. I can heal very quickly if I am wounded, provided I have an ample supply of prana. But if you become wounded, I will have to heal you using my own internal prana, which might cause me to become weak to the point of uselessness. Worse, if you die, the contract is severed, and I will be unable to sustain my existence in this world any longer."

"I see…I guess I'll take better care of myself, then. I'll try not to do anything similar to last night."

Caster's scolding look turns into a smile.

"Yes, that is a very good reply, Master."

She stares at me, smiling. I feel blood rushing to my cheeks, but I try to ignore it. Shaking off my blush, I ask her something I should have asked when we began this conversation.

"Going back to our conversation, Caster…Oh, I'll ask you formally. Can I call you Caster?"

"Yes. Since I have formed a contract as your Servant, I will be the instrument of your will. I will carry out your orders, protect you and defeat your enemies."

The gentle, demure Caster tells me that with no hesitation whatsoever. There is no room for me to question her resolve.

"The instrument of my will, huh? You will follow my commands for the purpose of winning the Holy Grail War, is that right?"

Caster tilts her head to the side and looks at me questioningly.

"Of course. Didn't you summon me for that precise purpose?"

"Errrr…"My ears turn red from embarrassment. "No. I actually summoned you by accident. As you know, I'm only an amateur magus. I'm sorry, but I don't have the Knowledge nor the power of a Master. But I've decided to fight, so I'll fight. I'm an unskilled Master, but are you okay with that?"

Caster puts her smooth hand on my face and turns it to look in her eyes.

"Of course I'm okay with it. You're my Master, Ayaka. This fact will not change, whether or not you actually intended to summon me."

I see. In that case, I should try to respond to her as best I can.

"All right. So you're content that I'm your Master?"

Caster's gaze turns hard.

"Yes. But Ayaka, I shall not allow defeat for my Master. If you have no chance for victory, I will make one for you. I will use any means possible to have you obtain the Grail. We Servants do not serve Masters without compensation. We, too, desire the grail."

As I digest this revelation, a thought strikes me.

"Wait, so the Grail can fulfill more than one wish? It can fulfill the wish of both the Master _and _the Servant?"

Caster once again smiles.

"Of course. The only ones who can touch the Holy Grail in spirit form are us Servants, who are also spirits. The Master who attains the Holy Grail will obtain it through the medium of their Servant. After that, the Servant who served the winning Master will have its wish granted in compensation. That is the relationship between Masters and Servants."

I see. Now that she mentions it, it makes sense. It would be obnoxious and stupid to expect a "heroic spirit", one who name is carved in the annals of history, to obey a mere human being with no compensation. Evidently, they have their own objectives, and they serve their Masters as a way to achieve their own individual wishes. It is not just the glory of victory which the Servants crave, but rather the powers of the omnipotent wishing device. This should have been obvious, so why am I so surprised to know that Caster has a wish? As I struggle to think of what kind of wish a person like Caster might possibly have, something she said strikes me.

"Hold on, Caster. You said any means possible, right? Does that mean you don't care what measures you take to win the Grail War? For example…"

Caster cuts in, upset.

"Ayaka, that is an impossibility. I can only do things that I allow myself to do. I will not harm the innocent. Not again. Once was enough…"

Her words once more force me to think about her past. Who in history was Caster? Why does she seem so pure and innocent, yet carry such great guilt? I am shaken out of my reverie by Caster's angry voice.

"However, if you command me to do so, I must obey. In that case, you must use a Command Seal to force me to do what I would normally abhor."

I am overwhelmed by her angered voice. But still, I'm happy and relieved. I did not want to believe that this cute girl would perform unthinkable acts just to win the Grail, and her assertion eases my fears. Maybe it is due to her past, or maybe she is just a good person through and through, but she shares the selfsame aversion to harming innocents that I do.

"Yeah, I won't let you do such a thing. I'm really sorry for upsetting you Caster. Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who would attack the unarmed or involve innocents in my conflicts."

I bow my head in apology. Flustered, Caster assures me.

"N…No, I leapt to a hasty conclusion without knowing your intentions. I-It's not your fault, so please don't apologise to me!"

I look up and see her face, flushed with embarrassment.

"Ha. Caster, you're really cute when you're embarrassed, you know?"

The red in her cheeks deepens. It really contrasts with the yellow of her hair. I decide to put her out of her misery.

"Caster, I have to ask you a question. Can you explain Servants to me?"

Caster tilts her head to the side and asks,

"Didn't Rin already tell you about us?"

"Well, she gave me the basic explanation, but I'd like to know more about Heroic Spirits, Noble Phantasms, and exactly why is concealing your name so important."

Caster nods and begins her explanation.

"We Servants are Heroic Spirits. We have each won fame during our lives or have accomplished some great deed beyond human ability. Whatever the means, we are beings that have reached the rank of gods with our own strength. In essence, we are not just heroes recorded in history, but rather people with supernatural abilities who receive devotion after their death which rivals the fervor of worship. But that is also to our disadvantage. As we are famous throughout history, our strengths and weaknesses have been recorded. Revealing our names, our identities, means revealing our weaknesses. If we were fighting a lower spirit, that would not be a problem. But each of us is a spirit capable of killing the other. If our weaknesses were to be exposed, our enemy would take advantage of them to defeat us."

It makes sense. Knowing the enemy's legend would make it much easier to defeat them. For example, if you knew your enemy was King Arthur of the Round Table, you would use an anti-dragon weapon to exploit his weakness. Similarly, if you knew you were fighting Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, you would take care to avoid his face, thus mitigating his advantage of the Mystic Face.

"I see. That's why Servants hide their names and take on the identities provided by their classes. But why does the Grail always summon seven classes of servants?"

"Quite simply, Summoning a true Heroic Spirit is already almost a miracle. To summon seven is too much even for the Holy Grail. As a solution, the Grail prepares seven vessels in advance and only calls forth Heroic Spirits compatible with those vessels. These vessels are the seven classes. The Grail calls forth from all times the Heroic Spirits who possess abilities corresponding to each of these classes. And those who receive these classes are known as Servants."

"I see. So you were skilled with magic in life, thus you're summoned as Caster?"

"Yes. There are Heroic Spirits who possess multiple attributes, but I believe that I was unmatched in my life when it came to spells and enchantments. However, that is the weakness of the Caster class. While I am skilled at performing magic, I cannot hope to match another opponent in head-on combat, not without putting a considerable strain on my pool of prana."

"But what about when you were fighting Berserker? You moved so quickly, you were more than a match for him."

Caster smiles sadly and shakes her head.

"At the time, I was using a spell to augment my physical abilities. However, If I were to do that for a prolonged period of time, I would soon run out of prana due to the combined strain of fighting and sustaining the spell at the same time."

"What if I were to fight?"

Caster gasps, shocked.

"What? No! I can't let you put yourself in danger like that! We're going up against Heroic Spirits, not just any other opponent."

"But think about it. You can't fight, and I'm a terrible Magus. Most other Master-Servant pairs would have their Servants fighting with themselves as support. In our case, you can't fight without putting a considerable drain on your prana, and I don't know how to support you. So, our best bet is to switch places. I'll fight, and you support me. If you use that enhancement spell, I know that I can stand up to an enemy in close-quarters combat, and if we were to engage in ranged combat, I'm a pretty good archer, and you have your magic."

I see Caster biting her lip, considering my proposal. Finally, she sighs.

"You're right. As much as I hate the way you seem to love putting yourself in danger, it's the only viable strategy open to us."

"Thank you, Caster."

Caster grins.

"Don't worry, Master. I'll protect you. And if someone gets the drop on us, I can always turn the tides with my Noble Phantasm."

"Oh, right. Noble Phantasms. Can you explain them to me in detail?"

"Noble Phantasms are special weapons carried by Servants. Weapons like Lancer's spear and Archer's bow are such. Heroes are not called heroes by themselves. Heroes have the weapons that symbolize them and make them heroes. The hero and his weapon are one. Thus, those who wield Heroic Spirits each wield a powerful weapon. That is the 'Noble Phantasm', our ultimate trump card."

I recall Lancer. The magical energy that was absorbed from the air when he prepared to attack Archer was certainly something not fit for humans. The lance itself carried a strong curse, but I also felt an overwhelming amount of magical energy in the word Lancer said back then.

"Caster. Are Noble Phantasms magic? Lancer's lance certainly seemed like a lance with history, but the lance itself wasn't extraordinary. But the lance went beyond the realm of weapons with his words. Isn't that a form of magic?"

Caster smiles, pleased at my deduction.

"Yes. Noble Phantasms are certainly similar to thaumaturgy. For example, Lancer' spear itself is a Noble Phantasm, but it demonstrates its true potential only when he puts magical energy into it and says its true name. A Noble Phantasm could be called a materialized divine mystery. As spells are necessary to activate magic, recitation of the true name is necessary to awaken and to activate the Noble Phantasm."

That is why the Noble Phantasm is a trump card. In exchange for revealing its name, it launches an unavoidable fatal blow. But if it does not prove fatal, the Servant will expose all its weaknesses.

"Then, Caster, what's your Noble Phantasm? Your voice?"

Caster glances away, avoiding my eyes.

"Not quite. My voice is only the conduit for my magic. My Noble Phantasm is something more…foreboding. But at this point, I believe no Servant is aware of my true identity yet."

Caster seems ashamed about her Noble Phantasm, in the same way that she seems guilty about something she did in the past. I decide to take her mind off the matter by asking another question.

"Hey Caster. Do Servants and Master have some sort of mark? I don't really know what I should be doing."

"No. Unfortunately, there is no clear way to distinguish them. However, Servants are powerful magic, and we are able to sense other nearby Servants. In fact, you might be able to sense some of them. I am sure you felt Berserker's presence."

"That's true…but…I need to know before they approach, if possible, so that I can take countermeasures."

"Hmmm… how about searching for other Masters' presence? Since Masters use magical energy for a living, they will leak magical energy. If you search for that, you may be able to determine the Masters in this town."

"Sorry. Unfortunately, I can't do that sort of thing."

After all, I didn't even realize Rin was a mage, and we have been attending the same school for more than two years.

"If you want, Ayaka, I can teach you."

"Come again?"

"I am a powerful magus. I could teach you about magic, if you'd like."

My eyes widen.

"Yes, please, Caster. I would like to become a more competent magus than I am now. Thank you for offering!"

I leap forward and hug her. She smiles and returns my hug. After a while, I separate from her. She looks me in the eye and asks me in a soft voice,

"Ayaka, what's your wish for the Grail?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Out of nowhere, an update! This one is a bit shorter, 2000 words as opposed to 3000 as per usual, but I decided that it would be prudent to end the chapter off where I did. More importantly, the good stuff is coming up soon, so to all who are still reading this, get ready. Things should get interesting within the next 2 chapters. I'm sorry for forcing all of you to sit through this boring bit of the story, but your faithfulness will be rewarded(Assuming, of course, I can write the action scenes effectively.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and as always, R&R.**

**P.S: To better accommodate my working schedule, I shall be switching my update schedule from once a week to once a fortnight. SORRY!**

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><p>"I…have no wish."<p>

"Excuse me?" Caster looks bewildered.

"Oh, I will fight my hardest to attain the Grail, but only to prevent others possibly using it for evil purposes. I have no reason to want the Grail for myself."

Caster continues to look dumbstruck, staring at me.

"Of course, I will still try my best. I'm a magus, even if still an amateur one. I understand that I can't back out of this now. I know I can't survive this without doing anything."

Caster's eyes narrow, and she asks,

"Then you are saying that you fight not to obtain the Holy Grail, but rather to prevent the conflict resulting from the Grail War?"

"Yeah, I guess you could put it like that. Yeah, I think that's what I mean. I can't put it into words, but such a fight is worth something, right?"

I shrug and look at Caster for affirmation. She merely shows me a look of confusion.

"I don't understand. You are a magus, like me. Is the ultimate goal of all magi not the fulfillment of some wish?"

"What are you saying? I have no unfulfillable wishes. My only wish is to protect people, and by participating in this War, I have the chance to do just that."

Caster looks at me, skeptical.

"Then are you saying you do not want to obtain the Holy Grail? That you will not fight to obtain it?"

"I never said that. Since I'm fighting, I do intend to obtain the Grail."

"That makes no sense. Why do you desire something you have no need for, going as far as fighting?"

I look her in the eye, seeing her expectation, watching her wait for me to speak up.

"Well, you need it, right? So we have to obtain it."

Caster's probing expression changes to one of shock. I continue on regardless.

"I don't know what kind of people the other Masters are. Some of them may truly be good people. But I've decided to be your ally. So if you say you want the Grail, it's only natural to help you with all my power, right? It may be a dumb ideal, but it's one I inherited from my father. He told me that to become a superhero, I should be selfish. It's pointless to support everybody, so he told me to ally only with people I like and trust. I used to argue with him about it all the time, but I think that's how it should be now. I'm not the kind of person who can fight for myself. But if I can fight for you, then I'm sure that I'll be able to put in my all."

That's right. If Caster truly yearns for her wish to be fulfilled, then it is my duty, as a Master, to ensure she can attain this fulfillment. Caster purses her lips, then starts to cry.

"Er, Caster, did I say something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just that no one's spoken to me that kindly in a long time. The only person who ever spoke like that to me was my brother…"

"It's okay, I'm here for you. As your Master and a friend."

Abruptly, Caster pulls away from me.

"Master, as much as I appreciate your words and intentions, I must ask that you think of a wish for yourself. Otherwise, I fear you may live in regret for much of your life."

Caster looks into my eyes as she says this. Then, smiling, she pulls me back into her hug.

_A wish of my own?_

As we wash up after lunch, I make conversation with Caster.

"So, Servants take physical form using prana, right? Then… since I have no way of letting you restore your supply of prana, you will get weaker with each fight?"

Caster frowns.

"It's not exactly that I'm unable to restore any magical energy. Prana is constantly created within oneself. A Servant without an outside source can create magical energy using its own Magic Circuit."

"I see. So there's no problem then?"

Caster's face twists in an unsatisfied fashion.

"Hmmm…How to explain this…I know! You see the faucet over here?" She points to the faucet in the basin. "Water is dripping out of it right now, correct? Let's say that the water is my magical energy, and the action of dripping out of the faucet is the process of my Magical energy being created. And this cup," She picks up a mug and place it under the faucet. "Is me. In this state, I can accumulate magical energy slowly. Now, as long as the cup holds water, more water will be created by the faucet. But when the water runs out, when I run out of prana, the faucet shuts off. Prana will no longer be supplied, and the cup will be forever empty. When this happens, the Servant is eliminated. This is one of the two conditions under which a Servant may be eliminated, the other being the sustaining of a grievous wound…though the latter is naturally more common."

I am beginning to understand now, but something comes to mind.

"But all you need is little bit of water in the cup, right? As long as there's some water left, the faucet will create more water and fill the cup."

"Yes. But the water in the cup is constantly consumed. It is lost even if I do nothing, and it is lost at a faster rate in battle. Put simply, more powerful actions consume more prana. If I were to sustain my Noble Phantasm for too long a period of time, I could empty out the cup even if it is full."

"Wow. So I guess the Noble Phantasm is not a luxury we can afford, then."

Caster smiles.

"Not quite, Master. In fact, you were quite lucky to get me as a Servant for two reasons. First, I am of the Caster class, so naturally I have more innate prana at my disposal, so my actions are much less limited than if I were, say, of the Saber class. Second, my Noble Phantasm is not a singular attack, but something which I can sustain for as long as I deem necessary. So, as long as I limit how long I sustain it, I should be able to use it once."

"That's good to hear. But I don't want you to use your Noble Phantasm unless there's truly no other choice, okay? I don't know what I'll do if you die. I'll give you the order now: Don't die."

Caster brings her hand up to my cheek and caresses my face.

"Of course, Master."

She moves closer to me, bringing her face incredibly close to mine. She closes here eyes, and I follow her example. I lean forward, feeling her warm breath upon my lips-

The phone rings.

Both of us jump, and I realize what we almost did. My blood rushes to my face, and I feel my cheeks flush. I see Caster, blushing heavily. I continue to be dazed for a few seconds before realizing that the phone is still ringing insistently. Quickly, I jump up, saying, "I-I should go get that."

Caster, seemingly equally embarrassed, replies with, "O-Okay, then I'll finish up with the dishes."

As I run for the phone, a plethora of thoughts race through my mind. Why did I do that? Why Caster, of all people? She's a girl! What on Earth am I thinking? Unwilling to pursue this line of thought, I pick up the receiver.

"Hello? Ayaka here."

"Hi! This is Fujimura!"

I should have known. Only she would call at such a strange time on a Sunday. In any case, I'm surprisingly glad for her call, as it lets me discard the crazy events that have occurred recently, and I feel like it's just another normal day.

"What is it? I'm kind of busy right now, Fuji-nee."

"Hey, I'm busy too. I gave up my day off to teach my students."

Wow. That certainly is unusual. The thought of the normally lazy and irresponsible Fuji-nee giving up free time to coach students forces me to stifle a laugh.

"I see. Then there's no time for chit-chat. There are no robbers or fires here, you can rest assured and go back to your club."

"H-Hold on! I'm calling you, so it'll be terrible if you hang up without hearing me out!"

"Fine. What's the matter?"

"I'm hungry~"

I facepalm. It's just like Fujimura Taiga to call on a Sunday afternoon asking for a free lunch.

"Anyway, I want that sweet omelet you always make. That'll be it for my order. Please have it delivered to the archery range immediately. Bye."

She hangs up. I put down the phone, and my now free hand reaches up to join my other one in its position in front of my face. Removing them slowly, I speak to myself.

"I guess it can't be helped. We still have the leftovers from lunch, and omelet's easy to make, so I better get it to her soon. I hear that beasts have a tendency to go wild when hungry."

I go back into the kitchen. I see Caster sitting in a corner, legs hugged tight to her chest. When she catches sight of me, she stands up and bows, exclaiming,

"I'm so sorry, Master! I shouldn't have done that! I'm really, really, really sorry…"

"It's alright. I forgive you. After all, I felt the same urge as well."

"You did?" Caster opens her eyes wide with what I believe to be surprise. Turning to the dishwasher, I notice all the plates and cooking utensils sitting by, washed completely clean. It is my turn to apologise.

"I'm sorry."

Caster tilts her head questioningly. "What for?"

"You put in so much effort washing the dishes, but now I have to use them again. I'm sorry for wasting your effort."

"Oh, it's fine! I like doing chores. It reminds me of some of my happier memories."

That statement surprises me. I am reminded of my dream, where Caster sat in a royal yellow throne. Yet she says she has experienced performing menial chores, and that she likes performing them. Was she perhaps a member of royalty who lost her throne? At the moment, that seemed the most likely case. Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I begin to cook.

Once I finish, I turn and tell Caster,

"I'm going to go deliver this to Fuji-nee. I'll be back in a while."

"Wait, Ayaka."

"?"

"Is it possible for me to accompany you? If you were to be attacked by another Master, I would not be able to come to your side and help you, so it is imperative I stay in a position where I can protect you from possible attack."

"Hmmm… You have a point. Alright. Come along. I can introduce you to Fuji-nee and Sakura while we're there, too."

That's right. If Caster's going to stay here, sooner or later she will encounter the two other women who frequent my home.

"However, we're going to my school, so we'll need a cover identity for you, if you're fine with that."

Caster smiles.

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine with that. I've traveled with a fake identity before."

"Hmm…How about…You're the daughter of my father's friend, a childhood friend of mine. Here on business, he decided to leave you with me."

"Wow, that's quite a good cover. Do you give others fake identities often?"

Caster lets out a playful laugh as she teases me.

"A-Anyway, let's go!"

As we walk toward the school, Caster walks right by my side, chatting animatedly to me about random things in the neighborhood around us, slipping easily into the role of childhood friend.

"Hey Caster, you're pretty good at blending in."

Caster looks down.

"Yeah. Back then, I had to do this a lot. There were a lot of people who would have liked my head to roll."

She refuses to say any more. Not wanting to upset her, I decide to drop the topic. Upon reaching the school, however, Caster stops dead in her tracks.

"Caster? What's wrong?"

"There's a lot of residual magical energy within your school. I was just surprised, that's all."

Shaking her head, she continues walking.

"Lingering magical energy? Really?"

"Yes, but that is nothing to be surprised about. Rin is in the same grade as you, right? This is a place where a powerful magus has gone for over a year. I am sure she has a workshop, so some magical energy will flow out no matter how well she may try to hide it."

"Wait, so is she in there right now?"

"No. I would be able to feel her presence more strongly if she was within the building. There are no magi currently in the building. It's safe, for now."

"That's good to hear. We should hurry, or Fuji-nee will scream at me."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Out of nowhere, an UPDATE! Finally found a spot of free time in my schedule. Another Slice-of-life chapter, I hope you will enjoy the humor I attempted to incorporate into this chapter. Anyway, the action bit's coming up REAL soon, trust me :) I revealed a few clues about an important character later on, two. In any case, thanks for sticking with me and giving me support. I promise I'll continue to update when I can. Thanks a lot :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ANYTHING in this story.**

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><p>"Oh, senpai? What are you doing? Are you in charge of her meal?"<p>

"…"

Sakura knows immediately why I'm here. I guess anyone would, after years of the same.

"Yeah, like you guessed, I'm here to deliver her lunch. Is Fuji-Nee here?"

"Yes. You arrived just in time. We were getting worried since she was hungry and started getting edgy. The cafeteria's closed, so we were considering going somewhere to buy her food."

"Was it that serious? Wait, Sakura-chan, were you thinking of going to Toyoetsu by yourself?"

Sakura sighs. "Yes… Where else can I go? We're short on money already, and Ayako-senpai said that I can't be spending money on emergency food…"

As expected from Mitsuzuri Ayako, the captain of the archery club and a woman who hates to waste money.

Toyoetsu is the name of the supermarket in the shopping district.

In the archery club, anyone resting their arm and taking a break is sent on a grocery run as an exercise.

…It's a contradictory custom because even though it's an exercise to rest your arm, you have to carry back a lot of groceries.

"That's some misfortune. Here's the lunch. It's a bit late, but go ahead and give it to Fuji-nee."

I hold out the bag. Sakura stares at it in astonishment.

"Wow… A three layered lunch box… As expected of you, Ayaka-senpai. I don't think I would be able to do this in such a short time period…"

Sakura continues looking at the bag, but she doesn't take it.

"Hey, just take the bag. Isn't it a problem in there with Fuji-nee going wild?"

Sakura is startled out of her reverie.

"O-Oh! S-sorry. I think you should go in and give it to her yourself… She'd yell at me if she knew I turned you away here."

She looks down demurely.

Sakura's right. It can get scary later on if I don't at least go and see her. I'm not here for archery practice, so I can just go home as soon as I hand her the lunch. I give up and head to the archery range.

"But Sakura-chan, next time, make sure you remind Mitsuzuri to check if Fuji-nee has her lunch or not. It's bad if the teacher starts looking at her students' lunches."

"Sorry, senpai… I should have been more alert…"

Sakura looks genuinely remorseful and upset. She seems to sink into depression. Hoping to cease this slippery slope of self-destruction before it gets out of hand, I lean over and give her a light kiss on the forehead, comforting her.

"Don't worry about it. If anything, Mitsuzuri's the one to blame. She's been here long enough to know."

Sakura's cheeks flush red, and she fixates her stare upon the ground. Then, she looks up at my face and makes a surprised expression. She leans in to whisper something into my ear.

"Who is she? Do you know her? She's really pretty…"

At first, I wonder who Sakura is referring to. Then, I remember that Caster has been silently behind me the whole time.

Oh, right. I forgot about Caster. Nobody knows who she is, and it would seem strange for her to follow me into the archery range. Sakura is still patiently waiting for my answer.

"It's kind of complicated, but let's just say that she's an acquaintance of mine. And if you wouldn't mind, can you go in ahead and tell everyone not to make a fuss about her when we go in? I'll be eternally grateful."

"Eternally grateful?" Sakura's entire face turns red. She gives it a few sharp shakes, then says, "Alright senpai. But tell me about it later, okay?"

"Of course."

She goes on ahead of me, but turns back and looks uneasily at Caster before walking through. I turn to Caster and shrug, but she just smiles back at me.

We enter the Archery range. All the students are gathered around the prone form of Fuji-nee on the floor, who is holding her stomach and moaning in pain. I sigh at her melodrama and open the lunch box, letting its scent waft in her direction. Almost immediately, she sits upright and dashed for the food in my hand. Preferring not to take my chances with this instinct-driven animal, I surrender the food without resistance and step back as she devours it.

As I look around, the other students are pointedly staring at Caster, whispering among themselves. Sakura makes an admirable effort to explain the situation to them, but Caster seems unfazed by the attention. If anything, she looks somewhat comfortable with being the centre of attention. Her lips curl up into a small smile, and she closes her eyes, clearly remembering some old memory from the past. The image of her sitting in the throne within the yellow room flashes through my head, but I pay it no attention.

"I'm full now. The sugar's flowing to my brain, so I'm finally up to par now."

That was fast. The speed at which Fuji-nee managed to consume the contents of my lunch box is frightening. Sakura bows and tells Fuji-nee,

"Um, sensei. I'm going to the range now, so excuse me."

"Alright. By the way, can you get Mitsuzuri-san to come here? I need to talk to her."

"Okay. Please stay at your leisure, Ayaka-senpai. If you can, it'd help me out if you would coach me."

Sakura bows and leaves. But as she does so, she throws another worried glance in Caster's direction. Fuji-nee turns to me.

"So, are you going home now?"

"No, I might as well stay here until practice is over. Then we can invite Sakura-chan over for dinner."

"Okay, so what are you gonna do now? The club's over at five, so will you just watch until then?"

I might cause a commotion if I walk around school with Caster. I think I'll just stay here, in this comfortable, familiar clubroom.

"I think I'll stay here, if you don't mind."

"Okay. I'm going to go teach, so you can relax here. Oh, and go ahead and shoot if you want to; you're my student and you're better than most."

She's right. Although I'm out of practice, I'm sure I would still be able to hit the target without fail. But that's not because of my skill in archery. It's because of my daily practice of magic. Or rather, it's the intense state of focus that magic entails. The process of firing an arrow involves attempting to lose yourself and become one with nature, which is similar to the meditation practiced in magic.

Tempted by her words, I pick up a bow and a quiver of arrows. I stride towards the range, testing the weight of the bow. I string it quickly and tug on the string a few times. Picking a target 100 yards away, I notch an arrow. I imagine the arrow hitting the target, close my eyes, steady my breathing, and shoot. Sure enough, the arrow hits the target. I switch to the next target, and the next. Each arrow hits its mark. I feel the comforting feel of the bow in my hand, losing myself in the process of shooting. Finally, I reach back for my next arrow, and I grasp thin air; I have emptied my quiver.

The range has gone quiet. Even the sound of bowstrings twanging have ceased. I look around me and see all the students staring at me. Turning, I return to the break room, where Caster is waiting for me. As I sit in the chair and allow myself to slip out of the mindset of the archer, Caster moves next to me and kisses me on the cheek, causing my blood to rush to my cheeks. She whispers in my ear,

"That was incredible. You are, without a doubt, the best archer I've encountered. Except, of course, maybe Archer."

She smiles wryly, and I am taken by the radiance emanating from her face.

"Thanks, Caster."

To repay her, I kiss her on the cheek as well. To my surprise, she seems to blush, and that makes me happy for some odd reason.

I quickly remind myself that both of us are girls, and go back to observing the practice, breaking up the intimate moment. Again, I see Sakura looking in our direction, frowning and donning a worried expression, distracted from her firing.

At five o'clock, the practice ends. Fuji-nee, Sakura, Caster and I are at the school gate, about to head home for dinner. As we walk on in silence, Sakura to my left, Fuji-nee further to my left, and Caster following three steps behind me. Sakura seemed rather annoyed at Caster behaving like a typical Japanese wife, but Fuji-nee doesn't even notice Caster until we begin walking down the hill leading to our district.

As we walk down the hill, she suddenly glances back and jumps in surprise. She leans closer to me and asks me,

"Ayaka, who is that girl following us? Do you know her?"

I sigh in exasperation.

"Fuji-nee, she's been right next to me the whole time at the practice. She's a friend of my father's. Or rather, she's the daughter of a friend of my father's. Her father's here on business and decided to see whether it might be possible for her to stay with us since she doesn't want to trouble her father."

"Oh? A friend of Kiritsugu's? I guess we can't refuse then."

"So, Caster-san will be staying with us for a while."

At the mention of Caster's name, Sakura suddenly stopped walking. Concerned, I ask her,

"Is something the matter, Sakura-chan?"

This shakes her out of whatever's preoccupying her, and she gives me a weak smile.

"I'm sorry, I was just surprised by her name. Caster…that's an interesting name."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Caster narrow her eyes, and I can tell that Sakura is clearly hiding something from me, but I decide not to pry, hoping that Sakura will tell me in private. Instead, I resume walking, counting on my entourage to follow in time. However, Fuji-nee refuses to keep silent. She walks up to me and lowers her voice.

"Ayaka-kun, do you like her?"

I immediately stop in my tracks and turn to face Fuji-nee, embarrassment coloring my features.

"Fuji-nee, what are you talking about? We're both girls!"

For some reason, Sakura tenses up and drops her gaze to the ground when she hears this. Fuji-nee continues to tease me.

"Silly things like gender don't matter when true love is involved! Oh, the burning passion of young love, going against the odds, defying society! How good it is to be young!"

"Fuji-nee, if you say another word, you're having water for dinner."

She immediately stops talking. I breathe in relief, savouring the silence. However, her words have triggered a train of thought in my mind. What is Caster to me? My Servant? At the most basic level, yes, but there's more to it. Is she my friend? Of course. But is that it? A close friend? Maybe. I refuse to consider the implications of the nonsense that Fuji-nee spouted, and thankfully, the arrival at the house allows me to stop thinking about the issue.

During dinner preparation, Sakura helps me with the cooking. As she cuts up some radishes, she suddenly speaks up in a small voice.

"I don't think you should get close to Caster-san."

The suggestion takes me by surprise.

"What makes you say that? You've only known her one day."

"I just have a feeling that being around her will put you in danger."

Of course, Caster is a Servant in the Holy Grail war. I'll definitely be in danger. But Sakura cannot know this, so I ask her,

"What do you mean?"

Sakura lowers her voice further.

"I just get a feeling. I don't think it's safe to get tangled up in other people's business."

From the way she is speaking, it's almost as though she knows about the War. But that can't be true.

As I open my mouth to answer, Caster walks into the kitchen.

"Ayaka, is there anything I can help with?"

Sakura sets down her knife and heads towards the living room, saying,

"I'm sorry Senpai. I'm feeling a little tired. Can you handle the rest by yourself?"

"Yeah, sure, but…"

I can tell that Sakura's lying. She's hiding something. But I trust that she's not doing it out of malice. I turn to Caster.

"Yeah, could you help me cut up the vegetables and prepare the stock?"

"Of course, Master."

As we eat dinner together, the entire table is engulfed in a sort of awkward silence. I try to make small talk like I always do, but I get only deafening silence as a reply each time. The only person who speaks openly and freely is Caster, which only serves to make the situation worse. The dinner then ends in this way.

"…"

I wash the dishes in the kitchen. It's not like I was hoping for a cheerful conversation from the very first day, but couldn't there have been a bit more conversation? I think today's tamagoyaki was really well made. It was perfectly made, so they should've at least said something.

"But they did finish all of it. What's up with 'more, please' being the only thing that was said?"

…Cleaning up after four people sure is a lot of work. Actually, could there be a meaning to Sakura not coming to help me tonight? At least Caster is willing to lend a hand.

"Well, dinner's over now, so I guess it's time now."

Fuji-nee glances at the clock. It's past nine 'o clock. They usually go home around this time.

"Yeah. I'll get going."

"If you're heading home, can you take Sakura-chan home too?" I call from the kitchen.

"Of course."

At the doorway, I see the retreating backs of those two. Before she leaves my field of vision, though, Sakura gives me another concerned look. I wave at her, and she quickly turns away and continues walking.

Back in the house, I speak to Caster.

"Sorry for all the awkwardness of today."

"It's alright. I understand. It's not every day that a friend suddenly arrives in school bringing along a new friend." She frowned. "More importantly, that girl…Sakura, was it? She feel strange. I can detect magic in her."

At first, I am startled by this revelation. Then I relax a bit.

"Well, Fuyuki is a city with abundant mana. It's possible that residual traces of some other magician's magic are present in her."

"I suppose so…" Caster sounds unconvinced.

"The War will start in its full scale soon. We should get some rest."

Switching off the lights, I lie on the futon and close my eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **

**Hello again . I wonder how many of you still follow this story haha. Sorry for vanishing off the face of the Earth. I had to give time to my other priorities, what with failing my exams and all. With everything, I completely forgot about this fic, I forgot my obligation as a writer to update this story for you dear readers, and most saddeningly, I forgot the liberating effect of writing. I forgot myself as a writer, and for that, and everything else, I apologise. To you, readers, as well as to myself. Honestly, whenever a new Story Alert+ popped up in my email, I panicked and resolved to update, but never got my lazy self around to actually doing so. Again, I apologise. Now, I state this: I will update when I have the time. I will update when I remember to. I will try my best to not lose myself as a writer again. But, next year being my 'A' Level year and all, expect spaced-out updates. Do not wait with bated breath for updates, you will be sorely disappointed. I will update when I update.**_  
><em>

**Now, regarding this chapter of the story: Here I have stopped using the original VN as a reference. This has several implications:**

**1) The story and interactions from here on out will become very different from what is in the VN.**

**2) Pacing will be faster, which is convenient, since it makes up for the predicted lack of updates ^^**

**3) My writing style will change. Be it for better, or for worse, I do not know. When you have read this chapter, please leave a review or drop me a PM regarding the strengths and weaknesses of my writing style. I'm still experimenting, and I'd like to know what I need to improve on.**

**All that said and done, again I ask for your forgiveness and understanding, and hope you enjoy Chapter 9 of Fate/Second Sight.**

**P.S. Any guesses as to Caster's identity should come to my PM inbox, NOT the reviews section :)**

**P.P.S. If anyone plays League of Legends on the Garena Server, feel free to add me :D (IGN PacisQuodVirtus) Do PM me your name if you do, though.**

**Signing off,**

**OrphaDelacroix.**

_I dream. I dream of Caster once more: a girl, only 14 years of age, sitting in that regal throne room, happily feasting on a plate of what looks like brioche. The young man, her servant, her twin, looks at her with loving eyes, standing by her side - a sentry, a servant, a sibling, a friend. The man standing before her is making a report. _

"_The man who is your betrothed, Kyle Marlon, was recently seen to be courting one of Keel Freesis' servants"_

_The girl's eyes narrow._

"_Keel Freesis? Who's that?"_

"_He is a successful merchant operating in the Kingdom of Elphegort."_

"_And Marlon has begun courting one of his servants?"_

"_Yes, your Highness. A maid, to be exact."_

_Caster's grip on the chalice of wine in her hand tightens._

_Her servant looks on, concerned._

"_What is her name?"_

"_Michaela, your Highness."_

I slowly become aware of my surroundings. Caster's now-familiar voice fills the room as I gradually wake up. I open my eyes to see her bright smile. Warmth and serenity radiate from her, and I feel an unexplainable calm, simply looking upon her face.

"Good morning, Ayaka."

"Good morning."

"You do not need to attend school today, am I correct?"

"Yeah, I don't; why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking that… I could start training you in magic today… If that's okay with you, of course!"

I smile. Caster looks so cute when she's flustered.

"Of course. I'd like nothing more."

Caster claps her hands together in happiness.

"Great! But let's have some breakfast first."

"You made breakfast again?

"Yes…I felt that it would save time, since I normally awake earlier than you. Do you not like it?"

Caster's expression changes to one of worry. Confronted with that adorable face, I resist the urge to cuddle her and instead reassure her,

"Oh, of course I like it. I love it! It's just that I don't think I'm worth the effort on your part."

"What are you talking about? You're my Master after all, if you're not worth the effort, who is?"

She smiles. I am tempted to say "nobody", but I refrain from that desire. I look at the table. On it is, once again, a typically Western breakfast, complete with a slice of brioche, an omelet and a grilled tomato.

"I have got to teach you Japanese cooking someday,"

Caster beams. "I would love that."

We polish up the breakfast quickly, and clean up the place, but all the while I keep thinking back to that dream. I remember that 14-year-old Caster, with a cold, regal demeanor, so different from the warmth she exudes now. I wonder what caused such a little girl to be so cold, and what event could have changed this, but I do not mention these to Caster. I trust she will tell me when the time is right.

We eventually find ourselves in my workshop. Conjuring a knife from thin air, Caster slices across the skin of her finger before I can stop her. I know it's necessary to use blood as a catalyst for certain forms of magic, but the sight of that soft, white skin parting makes me a tad upset. Caster uses her blood to draw the magic circle on the floor, a complex pattern foreign to me. Rather than the circle and star with which I am familiar, the pattern consists of six interlocking star patterns contained within a double circle, with multiple runes inscribed within the pattern. Caster motions to the centre of the circle, and I sit down within it, making sure not to step on the pattern itself. She steps into the circle as well and sits, facing me.

"The first thing we need to do is to determine the number of magic circuits present within your body. Close your eyes and stretch out your arms, palms downward."

I comply, and feel her touch on my palms, along with a slight tingling sensation. Soon after, Caster shudders and breaks the contact. I open my eyes, only to see her looking directly at me, crying.

"Caster, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Ayaka…Your body…it's broken."

"Broken?" I am slightly stunned, and very shocked.

"Yes. It feels like someone has repeatedly hammered magic into your body forcefully."

I sigh, somewhat relieved. "Ah. That is how I create my magic circuit to use magic."

"That's a terrible method. One wrong move, and you could have died."

"Well, I didn't have a choice. I don't have any normal magic circuits. I'm not actually qualified to be a magus."

Caster dries her tears.

"That's not true. You do have magic circuits. You're just not aware of them."

This declaration shocks me.

"That can't be right. I've never felt the presence of any magic circuits in my body."

"That's because you don't use them. For some reason I cannot understand, you choose to create new magic circuits rather than employ the ones you already possess. There is no prana flowing through your circuits. Ergo, they seem nonexistent to you."

This announcement is a bombshell for me. All my life, I had thought of myself as an incompetent magus, with no magic circuits. The more magic circuits a mage has, the more prana she can channel. And Caster had said "circuits". Plural.

"Caster, how many circuits do I have?"

"Forty-eight."

I stare at her, dumbfounded. Forty-eight is a ridiculous number. Having more than forty magic circuits was almost unheard of.

"Are…are you sure?"

"Yes. Why? You seem surprised. Is forty-eight a great many in this day and age?"

"Um…yes. How many do you have?"

Caster blushes. "Two hundred and seventeen"

My jaw drops. That is just plain cheating. Two hundred and seventeen circuits means she is able to channel a ridiculous amount of prana. No wonder she is not worried about the usage of her Noble Phantasm.

"Caster, that's amazing."

"No, it's nothing… My teacher had over a thousand…"Her blush deepens, and she looks away. Meanwhile, I am, again, caught by surprise.

I shake my head slowly.

"Monsters…the people of your age are monsters…"

Caster frantically waves her hands.

"Anyway, let's get started with stimulating your circuits."

What a fluid way to change the subject. Rather than continue my inquiry into the depths of her magical power, I decide to follow her change of direction.

"Alright."

"Now, Ayaka, please strip down."

"Okay…wait, wait, WHAT?!"

"Well, for this ritual to work, I need to be in as close contact to your heart as possible, and fabric could obstruct it… Oh my!" Caster blushes, seeming to only just realize what it is she just asked me to do. She hastily adds, "Ummm, actually, it doesn't matter, we can find other ways. Sorry…"

I sigh. "It's fine. Will just my top do?"

Caster's entire face turns red and she avoids eye contact.

"Y-yes."

"I'm embarrassed too," I mutter as I slip off my shirt and unfasten my bra.

Caster's blush somehow intensifies.

"A-alright Ayaka, P-p-please turn around."

I do as she says, and sit with my back facing Caster. I feel the soft pressure and warmth of her hands against my bare back, and shiver slightly as a light breeze plays somewhat uncomfortably across my naked upper torso. I keep repeating a mantra to myself as I feel heat enter my body from Caster's hand: _We're both girls, it's just a ritual, it's okay. We're both girls, it's just a ritual, it's okay._

Finally, after withstanding the breeze for another minute, my body jerks involuntarily. For a moment, I feel nothing, then a searing pain blazes throughout my body. The newly-functioning magic circuits pump my body full of prana, and I convulse on the ground as magic energy burns itself into the fundamental makeup of my body. I feel myself losing grip on consciousness, and slowly fade into a dark oblivion.

_I am on a hill. Around me, swords, spears, arrows litter the ground. This hill, stained with blood, both mine and others', is where I know I will die. My pink coat is stained red. I move my fingers to my chest. I can feel the stab wounds, the bullet holes. On the ground before me lies a sleek black bow. My bow. It's quiver lies beside it. In my right hand is a blade. A singular, exquisitely forged blade. Its cross-hilt is yellow. Its blade is a gleaming silver, inlaid with jewels. A name is etched into the blade. "Lucifen". Bending down, I pick up the bow. The sword in my hand changes form. It's cross-hilt morphs into a simple handle, the guard melting into the blade. The blade becomes thinner, twisting itself into an aerodynamic shape._

_I know I am going to die. But I can choose how I die. I notch the sword on my bow, aim upwards and fire. As it travels, I sing a silent requiem for my lost love. "Your dream is my dream", I whisper. I call the true name of my blade. _

"_Unravel, Akugatari!"_

_The blade shines, and shatters, leaving in place two almost identical swords, but for one difference: One sword is engraved with the name Allen. The other, with the name Riliane. Both fall back to earth, blade-first. I spread open my arms, allowing them to impale me. _

_I'm coming…My love…_

I open my eyes to see Caster's concerned face. She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, you're alive."

"…yeah."

I close my eyes, and feel an unfamiliar sensation. A flow of energy, a current flowing all through my body. Prana.

"So, my magic circuits are working now?"

"Yes. All forty-eight of them."

"It certainly is an intense feeling."

"You'll get used to it." Caster smiles.

I smile up at Caster's face, and shift my position on the soft cushion behind my head.

Wait. Up? Soft?

I suddenly become acutely aware of the position I am in: I am half naked, lying on a lap pillow provided by Caster, gazing intently into her face.

Flushing, I hurriedly sit up, putting my bra and shirt back on. Caster seems to look a bit disappointed, but that is probably just my imagination.

"So, what next?"

Anxious to not think about what just happened, I ask this question.

"Well, I was thinking of getting you to show me what magic you know, and then working from there. If that's alright with you."

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. Don't expect to be impressed though. I'm not exactly the best magus around. In fact, I only know how to use two types of magic."

"Oh? Which ones?"

Caster's curiosity seems to have been peaked.

"Analysis and projection."

I look away, embarrassed, waiting for her to laugh at me. However, she only gives me a thoughtful look.

"Odd choices of magic to learn. Of all the forms, why those two?"

"Those two are the only types Kiritsugu ever taught me."

"Interesting. Why would he teach you magic that's largely useless in combat situations…?"

I am growing more embarrassed by the minute.

"I don't know… Maybe he wanted me to avoid battles."

"Maybe…But I think there's something more. We'll see. Could you try analyzing that hammer over there?"

I shrug. Better for her to be disappointed now than later.

"Trace On."

I mutter my spell. Closing my eyes, I take in the information that is presented to me. Grabbing a nearby notebook and pen, I scribble down everything I discern. Handle made of 64% cedar wood, 32% plastic, 4% impurities. Head made of 98.3% stainless steel, 1.7% impurities. Multiple weak points in structure, particularly in the joint between handle and head, as well as along the length of the handle. Country of origin: China. Factory-produced. Prana infusion limit is 37. Unnamed.

Not getting anything else out of my scan, I open my eyes and relax my concentration. Caster looks intently at the notebook in my hand, and furrows her brow.

"Well, that's it, Caster. Like I said, not impressive at all. Sorry to disappoint."

Caster continues to read through my analysis, a thoughtful expression adorning her face.

"On the contrary. This is very interesting."

"What?"

"What you're doing…it's not structural analysis."

"What are you talking about? Of course it's structural analysis. The composition of the item is right here."

"As well as the origin of the item, its prana infusion limit and its name."

"So?"

"Well. Normal structural analysis magic does not provide that information."

"Excuse me?"

"You're… excused…?" Caster looks at me questioningly. "Oh! You want me to elaborate! Sorry. Anyway, normal analysis magic simply details the material composition of the item. What you have done is a step further. You have analysed the item beyond what is physical. You've found its origin, the intent of its creator. You've grasped its capacity to hold magic. That is not something traditional analysis magic does."

I am unable to comprehend all she has said. My analysis is not analysis? Kiritsugu taught me the wrong thing?

"So then…Kiritsugu taught me the wrong way?"

"No, it's not that. Your magic is not some wrong version of analysis magic. It's a totally different type of magic altogether. I think your father wasn't trying to teach you analysis magic. He was trying to teach you this unique brand of magic. What you do…is different."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** **Hey everyone, Orpha here. Presenting, the next chapter of Fate/Second Sight. Again, I'm going to warn you to not expect any subsequent releases to be similarly frequent, this is a special case because I began writing the chapter immediately after chapter 9. Still, thanks for all your support. However, I'd like to address one thing: Since the last chapter, I've received 6 new follows but only 1 new review. Guys, if you like this story, please do review it, it's important for me to know what I'm doing wrong. On that note, a lot of the feedback I've received is largely positive, and I'm happy about that :D But I would appreciate it if you guys also started including criticisms in your reviews/PMs. (if possible :P) Fundamentally, I aim to improve myself as a writer to create good quality work for you guys and everyone else out there, and critical reviews help me with that. Don't get me wrong, it makes me happy that you guys are so impressed/pleased by my work, but I'm sure there are flaws, and I'd really like to know what they are. :3**

**Now, moving on the the story this time, I decided to increase the level of yuri overtones in here, which hopefully will please you guys (and gals XD) in general. I also put in more humour that I felt was reminiscent of the VN's subtle humour, so hopefully that worked out :x**

**Also, warning: this chapter is filled with infodumps, particularly pertaining to the nature of tracing. Some of it is taken from the TYPE-MOON wikia (props to them for keeping the thing organised), while some of it is the result of my wild imagination.**

**Also, for those still unsure of Caster's identity, (though I am sure that this group is a minority right now) I dropped a name in this chapter which is a TREMENDOUS hint. And for those that don't get it, Don't feel bad. It's a rather obscure piece of work that I'm referencing. I'll try to do the character's rich background justice nonetheless :)**

**Alright, enough with my rambling, on with the story. Enjoy :)**

**Signing off,**

**Orpha Delacroix**

* * *

><p>"Different?"<p>

I am dumbstruck. Could it be that my magic skills exist after all? That I can do more than merely the most rudimentary and mundane of magic usage, analysis? The implications of what Caster has told me ring through my mind.

"Yes. Different. In fact, if I'm not mistaken…"

Caster stretches out her hand, humming a complex series of chords. With a slight shimmer, that silver and yellow sword materializes in her outstretched palm. She grips the beautiful weapon and holds it out to me. Guessing her intent, I reach out and take hold of the sword. It feels natural. Its handle is not cold as per my expectations, but warm, radiating a comfortable amount of heat. Its weight feels perfect in my hand, and I resist the urge to draw a picture in the air with its blade. The etching of the name "Allen" glows softly with a golden light, and the blade seems to exude power. This is no ordinary weapon. This is a magical blade. This is a Noble Phantasm. With this realization, I stare wide-eyed at Caster.

"Analyse that blade."

"But it's a Noble Phantasm, right? Analysis doesn't work on Magical artifacts, does it?"

Of course, I have no clue as to whether my assumption is true, but it was based on the idea that something as low-level as analysis could not possibly comprehend the complexity of a magical item.

"No, it doesn't. But remember: what you perform is not Analysis. Please just try."

Still apprehensive, I do as Caster tells me, bracing myself for disappointment.

"Trace On."

First, nothing. Then, the information starts to bombard me.

I again reach out for the notebook and pen.

Handle: 96% Gold, 3% Silver, 1% Condensed mana. Guard: 84% gold, 16% condensed mana. Blade: 3% diamond, 43% silver, 54% condensed mana. No weak points identified. Country of Origin: Kingdom of Lucifenia. Hand-crafted. Prana Infusion Limit: 4500. Original user: Allen Avadonia. Intent of creation: protection and service. Name: Akutsukai. Class A Anti-Personnel Noble Phantasm.

I open my eyes and look at what I wrote, receiving a shock. Condensed mana? I have never even heard of that material. A prana infusion limit of 4500? That is ridiculous. Even jewels tend to average out around a meager 1000 units. And how did I manage to see the name of the sword's user, and the class of Noble Phantasm? This is beyond the scope of normal analysis. Could this be what Caster was referring to? I look to her for clarification, but she is staring at my notebook once again, tears forming in her eyes.

"You…you managed to divine his name…"

With shaking hands, she takes the notebook and pen from my hand, and writes on the notebook. When she passes it back, I see that she has edited Allen Avadonia's surname. The name now reads:

"_Allen Lucifen"_

Caster then begins to sob uncontrollably. As I reach forward to hold her in my arms, I recall that dream. The dream where I see Caster's life. I recall the young man at her side. And again I wonder: _Just who are you, Caster?_

She leans into me, sobbing on my shoulder. The enigma of Caster once again presents herself. Sometimes she seems so mature, so calm and collected. Sometimes she seems so childlike, sad and troubled. If my dreams are to be believed, she was the ruler of a kingdom when she was young, but I know nothing of what could have caused her to carry such sadness, nor do I know anything of what might be the cause of her tears. I want to know her. I want to know more about her. I want to understand this woman who has so changed my life.

After a few moments, locked in that close embrace, Caster pulls away and wipes her tears, putting on an apologetic smile for me.

"I'm sorry, Master. I shouldn't have lost my composure. Shall we continue?"

I grit my teeth slightly, upset that she chooses to hide her sadness from me, but I gesture for her to carry on.

"Thank you…Now, we've established that your version of analysis is not analysis at all, but rather a new form of magic altogether. A powerful one, at that, transcending barriers of time, magic and the physical. Now, this leads to some interesting implications…"

Just like that, she switches back to full-on business mode.

"Such as?"

"Well, if what you thought of as analysis is not actually analysis at all, then it's also highly possible that what you believed was projection is not actually projection."

"…Do you think it's worth a shot?"

I am a bit skeptical, but Caster was right the previous time, maybe she's on to something this time as well.

"Please project something. The first thing that comes to mind."

I close my eyes. I try to think of something to project, however, the only thing that comes to mind is that sword, Akutsukai. _If I'm going to try this, might as well go the whole way_.

**Step 1: Judge the concept of creation**. Why was the sword created? To protect and to serve. But who? I recall my dream, and there I find my answer. The sword was created to help to protect and serve the woman who now holds the title of Caster.

**Step 2: Hypothesising the basic structure**.

Handle: 96% Gold, 3% Silver, 1% Condensed mana.

Guard: 84% gold, 16% condensed mana.

Blade: 3% diamond, 43% silver, 54% condensed mana.

**Step 3: Duplicating the composition material**. In my mind, I picture silver being refined, diamond being cut, gold being melted and moulded. I feel my magic circuits opening as I visualize the creation of the condensed mana.

**Step 4: Imitating the skill of its making.** I recall the previous analysis. Searching deeper, I finally discover the method used to make this sword lovingly by hand. I visualize myself as that blacksmith, hammer in hand, forging the perfect sword.

**Step 5: Sympathising with the experience of its growth**. I look into the sword's history, from the point when Allen is first presented with it to the point where he entrusts the sword to Caster. I follow the trails of blood left by the blade, tracing its trail of carnage. I experience in my mind every killing the sword had performed.

**Step 6: Reproducing the accumulated years**. Having experienced every act the sword has been involved in, I now visualize myself reliving these moments as the wielder of the sword. Stab after stab, slash after slash, I help the sword carve itself into history.

**Step 7: Completing the manufacturing process**. With this knowledge of the sword's make, its origin, its purpose, its history, I recreate the weapon. I recreate its base composition. I recreate its history. I retrace its steps. I recreate its existence. I recall its name. With this blueprint in mind, I call forth the prana in my magic circuits to shape that which I hold in my mind into reality.

I feel myself gripping a hilt, and I open my eyes. In my right hand is an exact replica of Akutsukai. Caster looks at it in wonder, and materializes the original. Taking hold of my projected Akutsukai, Caster compares the two.

"They're identical. And not only do they look the same, but they feel the same. I can feel the history of the sword in this replica."

Caster looks straight at me.

"What you have done is not Gradation Air, or, as you call it, projection. Projection simply creates a likeness of the item. What you have created is not a likeness, but a replica. A copy with substance. It is undoubtedly weaker than the original, but this is still an amazing feat."

Surprised at my own success, I start to laugh.

"A Noble Phantasm. I just projected a Noble Phantasm."

At that moment, the replica of Akutsukai shatters.

"Eh?"

My shoulders slump forward. Disappointment floods my mind.

"I guess it's no good after all."

"Oh no, that's not the case at all."

I look up. Caster is looking at me strangely.

"I was right. What you have done is not projection. It is a far more advanced form of the magic, one I have not seen in a long time."

"You mean, you knew someone who used this magic as well?"

"Yes." Caster averts her eyes. "My mentor used this technique often back when I was her student. Mistress Elluka once explained it to me. Normal projection simply copies the image of an object, using prana to grant the image physical form. This brand of projection allows you to not only copy but also completely recreate an object. However, while normal projections have a fixed amount of prana within them, your brand of projection requires the user to constantly supply prana to keep it materialized. As such, items created through this brand of projection will never lose their form unless you lose your concentration, or if they are physically destroyed."

"So…you're saying that…I can create a complete replica of any weapon? With its attributes and abilities?"

"Not a perfect replica. The copies you create seem to be weaker for some reason. Weaker than the items which Mistress Elluka used to create. Even though the magic is essentially the same, your's seems to be less refined than hers. I think it's likely due to your inexperience; you haven't seen enough of the world to be able to completely understand the weapon. With misunderstandings, no matter how minute they may be, it is impossible for you to forge a true copy of the weapon."

"Just how much weaker is my version compared to the original?"

"Project the weapon again and analyse it, that should give you a rough idea."

"Okay. Trace On."

I recall the blueprint I created, with relative ease this time. Again focusing my prana, I recreate the replica.

"Beginning Appraisal."

Instead of writing anything down, I simply internalize the information. Most of the information is identical, apart from two particular items: The Prana Infusion Limit of the weapon is 500, as opposed to 4500. Its class as a Noble Phantasm is B as opposed to A.

"The rank of the weapon seems to have decreased by 2, from A to B. The prana infusion limit also decreased to 500 from 4500. Speaking of which, what is meant by the prana infusion limit?"

I muse out loud for Caster to hear.

"If I remember correctly, the prana infusion limit is the maximum amount of mana an item can contain before it shatters. For most items, they will simply break down and cease to exist if infused with too much mana to hold. But, for magical weapons such as Noble Phantasms, overloading it with mana will turn it into a Broken Phantasm."

"A Broken Phantasm? What's that?"

"A broken phantasm is just that; a Noble Phantasm that is breaking apart. Since Noble Phantasms are, by nature, magical artifacts, they will not simply vanish after being overloaded with magic. Instead, making a Noble Phantasm Broken makes it unstable due to the clash of magic within the blade. As such, it makes the item much more dangerous. Allowing a Noble Phantasm to turn Broken will allow for a single attack with the weapon's rank augmented by one rank, but at the cost of losing the item forever. It is a highly dangerous thing to do, and I strongly advise you against doing so."

She glares at me pointedly. Damn. She read my mind. If I could spontaneously create and fire Broken Phantasms, I might actually be of some use in battle, rather than making Caster fight all by herself.

"Regardless, your projection ability is rather fascinating. It's not something anyone can do. It could be a very powerful ability."

"Oh? In what way?"

My curiosity is piqued by her insights.

"You managed to replicate the history and accumulative experience of my sword."

"So?"

Caster smiles.

"Magical weapons are not created magical. They gain their attributes through their continued usage and the inevitable melding of identities of the weapon and the hero. This is why heroes across history are often characterized by their weapons. Heroic spirits gain power through their legends. The greater the legends which they create around themselves, the more strength they have. Similarly, the more legends that surround a weapon, the more powerful it is, the more it can accomplish. Legends are forged around weapons through what the blade has accomplished in its existence. Thus, when you recreate the history of the sword, you imbue the copy with the legends of the original."

"I don't see where you're getting with this…"

"Through battle, the weapon becomes one with the wielder. A part of the Heroic Spirit's self is contained within the weapon. The legends of the weapon and this melding of entities is what grants Noble Phantasms magical attributes. Ergo, since you are able to copy their history, you are able to replicate the magical abilities of the Noble Phantasms."

"Ah, I see. Wouldn't have been faster to just tell me that I can use the magical abilities of the weapons?"

"Actually, now that you mention it, that is true." She smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, I was just too used to my old mentor giving me the longest lessons for the simplest ideas. I was lost in nostalgia."

"No, it's okay. So you really admired your teacher?"

"Yes. She turned my life around, offered me redemption…"

Caster gains a distant expression.

I decide to leave my prying for another time.

"Should we stop for today, Caster? I'm a bit hungry."

"Hmmm…yes, we should. I think we've accomplished a lot today."

She beams at me, then snaps her fingers. The magic circle of blood on the floor vanishes, all traces of its existence erased. Both of us stand up, and I stretch for a bit. Opening the door to the shed, I cannot believe my eyes. It's completely dark. We were in the shed for a whole day.

"Wow, Caster. I didn't even notice we spent the whole day in there."

"Ah. Yes. After activating your Magic Circuits, you were unconscious for close to seven hours."

"_Seven hours?"_

I raise my voice involuntarily.

"Yes…It's normal. When trying out something new, the body takes some time to get used to it. Especially in the case of magic, the body is trying to get used to something which previously did not seem to exist. It always takes time to adjust."

"But seven hours? What on earth did you do for those seven hours?"

"Watch over you, of course."

I shake my head. This level of attention borders on creepy, but I am nonetheless grateful.

"Thanks. I'll make a great dinner for the both of us."

I smile. It strikes me how lucky I am to have a good friend like Caster, who would spend seven hours taking care of me to the exclusion of all else. She is so kind. Not to mention cute. And that adorable face just makes me want to-

No, Ayaka. Stop. Do not go there.

As we enter the main house, Caster pipes up.

"Oh yes! Ayaka!"

"Yeah?"

"I forgot to say this: Your version of analysis, you called it Appraisal, yes?"

I have to think about it for a bit, but I remember that I did use that aria when analyzing the copied Akutsukai. I guess it could fit as the name of my brand of magic.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I think it's a good name."

I turn around and flash Caster a smile.

"Thanks, Caster. For being with me. For everything."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hey everyone. Here's the next chapter. Not much to say here, have a bit of insight into Allen's life.** **Note that in my story, I decided to make Shinji and Ayaka hate each other: Ayaka hates Shinji because he's a creep, Shinji hates Ayaka because she makes him look stupid (Which he is). So yeah, this chapter is chock-full of dream sequences and might be a bit boring, so do be warned. Also, I made Ayaka's sexual slant glaringly obvious here. Although I'm not too sure why. Just felt like it.**

**As always, do try and review my work and criticise it if possible. And most importantly, I hope you enjoy this chapter of Fate/Second Sight (boring as it may be)**

**Signing off,**

**Orpha Delacroix.**

* * *

><p>I sigh as I walk down the familiar path to school. After the many revelations of yesterday, reverting back to my normal life routine feels so strange. I trace the command spells on the back of my hand. I remember Caster's words:<p>

_"Ayaka, now that the War has started in its entirety, it is very likely that a mage may attempt to attack you while you are at school."_

_"I don't think so. Nobody would ever attack me with so many witnesses around."_

_"Don't be too sure about that. Mages have methods to conceal much from the eyes of others."_

_"Maybe, but I still don't think anyone would attack me there."_

_"In any case, please promise me that if someone does attempt to attack you, you will use a Command Spell to summon me to your side."_

I also remember her explanation of that peculiar request, and the subsequent events.

_"Alright, but why do I need to use a Command Seal?"_

_"Command Seals are not only for assuming control of us Servants. If an order is given with the power of the Command Seal, we will be compelled to follow it no matter what, even transcending physical barriers and limits. So, if you ordered with a Command Seal to be with you, I would likely cease whatever I am doing at the moment and transcend physical limits to reach you instantaneously."_

_"That makes sense, I guess. Wait. This isn't just some ploy to get me to waste my Command Spells so that you can turn on me and kill me, is it?"_

_Caster actually looked hurt by my joke._

_"Ayaka, if you think that, you're incredibly mistaken. I've already betrayed a close one once, and suffered greatly for it. I'm not going to do it again. I'll do anything to prove it to you."_

_I saw yet another opportunity to mess with her._

_"Anything? Even…" I winked suggestively and made a gesture that looked like I'm asking her to strip._

_Without saying anything, she reached up to her shoulder and slipped off one strap of her dress._

_"I was just joking!"_

_"Oh." She slided it back on, looking away, face flushed red._

_"Anyway, I should get going now, but I promise to use my Command Seal if anything happens."_

_"Thank you for understanding, Ayaka." Caster acknowledged my compliance while still avoiding eye contact._

_"Thank you for caring, Caster." On an impulse, I leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek._

_"See you in a few hours!"_

Why did I kiss her? That is the question I still am trying to find the answer to. It was not just to mess with her, and it was not planned in anyway…I just did what felt like the right thing to do at the moment.

I recall her blushing, embarrassed face, in all its cuteness, and my heartbeat accelerates. Could this be…?

Stop it Ayaka! She's a girl! A female. It's just an unrealistic girl crush, that's all. Does not mean anything at all.

I shake my head to clear my doubts, and step into homeroom. As usual, Fuji-nee is not here yet, even though she left the house early this morning with fire in her eyes, saying "I must go. My students need me!" My guess is, she fell asleep in the dojo. Serves her right for trying to upset her own sleep patterns.

Eventually, with about ten minutes of homeroom left, Fuji-Nee walks into the classroom and, predictably, trips over empty space. Picking herself up, she begins homeroom as I begin to zone out, and my thoughts drift to Caster.

* * *

><p><em>I see the young boy, Allen, strolling quietly through a street, humming quietly. A brown cloak is draped over his slender frame. He is the perfect image of a tourist, if not for the slightly wary look in his eyes, the tension in his gait, the yellow hilt occasionally peeking out from under his cloak. He takes care such that none see the colour of his hair.<em>

_He arrives at a large mansion, with the name "Freesis" engraved in a metal plate by the doorway. There, taking care to look nonchalant, he casually leans against the outer wall of the gate and pulls out a book._

_With his left shoulder against the wall and a book in front of his face, he is in the perfect position to see the interior of the mansion's yard. Within, there are two young girls. Judging from the uniform, both are maids. One has white hair, white as a lily, seeming to struggle with a large pail of clothes, on the brink of crying from not being able to handle the weight. The other has vivid, green hair, tied into twintails, with a smile adorning her face as she moves to help her companion._

_She seems to feel something amiss and looks up, directing her gaze in Allen's direction. Acting sheepish, he gives a small wave to the girl. Smiling, she walks to the gate. She speaks to him._

_"Can I help you?"_

_Allen cycles through a list of possible excuses for his behavior, and decides on one._

_"I was told that a long-lost relative of mine was living here in Elphegort, so I came here to look for her, but I don't have any idea where to start. Sorry for staring, I was just wondering if I should approach you for help."_

_"Oh my! I would be delighted to help. But not today, I have to work. How about the day after tomorrow? It's my day off."_

_"Yes, that would be perfect, thanks."_

_"Do you have anywhere to stay?"_

_"…no."_

_The girl frowns a bit. Then her face brightens up._

_"Why don't you stay here with us? You can stay in the Servant's quarters, I'm certain that Master Freesis would be fine with you lodging here for a while."_

_"Thanks. That would be great."_

_The girl smiles._

_"What's your name?"_

_"Allen Avadonia."_

_"Nice to meet you! I'm Michaela."_

* * *

><p>The school bell wakes me up from my dream. What was that? Why did I have a dream about Allen rather than Caster? How strange. As I ponder this thought, Matou Shinji appears in front of me.<p>

"Hello Emiya."

"No."

"But I haven't said anyt-"

"No. Every time you come talk to me, it's because you want me to do something for you. So no."

Shinji's eye twitches.

"Shut up! You should be honoured that the great Matou Shinji is willing to talk to one as lowly as yourself."

"Great?" I burst out laughing.

"Why you…!"

Shinji clenches his hand into a fist.

"You know Ayaka, I wouldn't normally hit a lowly commoner like yourself, but you're just asking for it."

"Like you're any better. Go ahead and try."

At that moment, Sakura pops her head into the classroom.

"I thought I heard Onii-san's voice coming from here somewhere…"

She spots the two of us and can clearly feel the tension between us.

"Ehhhh? Onii-san? Ayaka-senpai? What's going on?"

Deciding not to show my masculine side in front of the fragile Sakura, I make the titanic effort of resisting the urge to punch Shinji in the face.

Instead, I run over to Sakura.

"Nothing's wrong! We were just having a friendly chat! Come join me for lunch!"

I then grab her arm and drag her along to the cafeteria. Turning around, I see Shinji's confused expression. I stick out my tongue and run.

In the cafeteria, Sakura and I find a seat.

"Oh no! I forgot to pack a bento today!"

I curse myself for my forgetfulness. Sakura pipes up:

"Um…I made a little too much today…would you like some?"

I take a look at her bento box. No matter how you look at it, there's only enough for one person. And that's a person with Sakura's small appetite. I shake my head and smile at her concern.

"No, it's fine Sakura-chan. I'll just buy shio ramen or something."

"Ehhh? But…"

"I said, it's fine. You don't need to go hungry on my account, as sweet as that is.

"

I bend over and kiss her on the forehead, leaving her flustered and unable to convince me to take her lunch.

When I get back to the seat, Sakura is still blushing. She avoids my gaze as we eat, looking only at her bento. Eventually, I grow weary of the uncomfortable silence.

"Sakura-chan."

She jumps.

"Y-y-yes?"

"Do you like me?"

Her entire face turns red. I can practically see the steam coming out her ears.

"Eh..eh…eh..? Um…"

She is unable to answer me. Laughing, I reassure her.

"That was just a joke, Sakura-chan."

"Ehhh…Ayaka-senpai, you're mean…"

She pouts cutely as she says this moe sentence.

I have to resist a sudden urge to cuddle with this cute creature, but the joke at least broke the awkward mood.

"Ayaka-senpai, can you do me a favour?"

Sakura suddenly becomes very serious.

"A favour? What do you need?"

"Go home early today. Don't come for training, don't stay for duty, don't do your homework in school. Go home as early as possible."

Her request takes me heavily by susprise.

"Ummm… okay, but why? Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I can't explain, but…it's just not good to be in school this afternoon."

Her ominous words and serious tone make me a bit worried, but I decide to agree to her suggestion. I have nothing to stay in school for, anyway.

"Alright."

"Thank goodness."

Sakura breathes a sigh of relief. The bell rings.

"We should head back to our classes."

"Yeah. See you, Sakura-chan."

"Stay safe, Ayaka senpai."

With these words, we part ways, and I head back to the classroom. As I enter, I spot Shinji sulking in a corner. Hearing my footsteps, he looks up, smirks, and looks away. What a creep.

As the teacher comes in, I make myself comfortable in preparation of another few hours of sleep-inducing lessons.

* * *

><p><em>Allen wakes up in a modest, but comfortable room. Slipping on his clothes and his cloak, belting on Akutsukai, he leaves the room. He heads into the yard, where Michaela is doing the laundry again. She looks up, sees him, and smiles, but then frowns a bit.<em>

_"Allen. Good morning to you. But why are you wearing your hood in this heat?"_

_He is a bit taken aback._

_"I'm sorry, but I have differently-coloured hair from the others in town, so I thought it best to hide it."_

_Michaela arches one eyebrow in amusement and speaks to the white haired girl beside her._

_"Clarith, looks like you've found a kindred spirit."_

_Clarith giggles a bit._

_"Don't worry Allen. Master Freesis doesn't allow any kind of unfair treatment on his property. I'm different too, as you can see."_

_She smiles. Confronted by these two earnest women, Allen slowly, reluctantly, removes his hood. The two of them gasp, Michaela out of awe, Clarith out of horror._

_"Wow! It's so beautiful! I've never seen golden hair before. It's such a shame to keep it hidden."_

_"Yellow hair? That means…you're from the Kingdom of Evil…?"_

_Allen subtly tenses up at the mention of Lucifenia's unflattering nickname._

_"Kingdom of Evil? That's a bit far, isn't it, Clarith?"_

_"But it's true, Michaela. I've heard that their queen is a cruel tyrant that had her top general killed for feeding the citizens during a famine! Isn't that terrible?"_

_"I'm sure it's just a rumor, Clarith. You shouldn't badmouth someone's country just based on rumors. I apologise, Allen, please…eh?"_

_Allen does not hear Michaela's words. He is gritting his teeth over Clarith's criticism of this queen, and the mention of the general's death sent tremors throughout his body as he attempts to maintain self-control._

_Clarith worriedly speaks up:_

_"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things. Please forgive me."_

_She bows. Allen takes in a few deep breaths and calms down._

_"It's okay. Have you two had breakfast?"_

_Michaela, glad for the change of topic, replies,_

_"No, we haven't prepared it yet."_

_"Can I prepare it?"_

_"Eh? No, no. There's no need to trouble yourself."_

_"Please let me do it. I have to repay this house's hospitality somehow."_

_Michaela fidgets around._

_"I guess it's okay…Are you a good cook?"_

_Allen smiles._

_"One of the best."_

* * *

><p>Again, I am awoken from my dream by the sound of the school bell. School is over. Remembering my promise to Sakura, I decide to head home straight away. Shinji pointedly clears his throat, causing me to look in his direction.<p>

"Leaving so early, Emiya?"

"Problem?"

"Sure you don't want to finish what we started at lunch break?"

"If you mean my kicking you in the face, not particularly, no."

"Why? You scared? Heh. Thought so."

"Yeah. Um. I honestly don't really care what you think, so the answer is still no."

"Tch."

He scowls.

"You sure you're not going to stick around? Never thought you were the boring kind, going home as soon as school ends."

Damn, he's persistent.

"Again, not caring. Bye."

Without waiting for a retort, I walk out of the classroom. Seeing the mass of students flooding down the main stairs, I take a slight detour, going into the connected science wing and taking the stairs there.

However, after descending merely two flights of stairs, I see a certain Tohsaka Rin obstructing my way on one of the landings.

"Oh, hi Tohsaka. What are you doing in this part of the school?"

She doesn't answer me. Instead, she points the two fingers of her right hand at me. She opens her mouth, eyes focused on me. I feel a sudden ominous sense of dread. Following my instincts, I dive to the left.

"Gandr!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** **Hi everyone! This will be the last update for a while, need to spend some time catching up on my studies. I'll try to have the next chapter up by the end of the week though **

**Anyway. This chapter doesn't have much, just a continuation of the chase between Tohsaka and Ayaka, and -GASP- a new development. This is the first fight scene I've written involving Ayaka (actually, this is the first fight scene I've written. Ever.) It's kind of condensed for a fighting scene, but I'm terrible at them (I think); what can I say ._. More importantly, I would like some advice on how to improve my writing of the fight scene for future confrontations. Reading through, some of this chapter seems a bit superfluous/contrived ._. Guess I'll work it out when I start my editing (after I've finished the body of the story)**

**As always, R&R please :3**

**Carpe Diem,**

**Orpha Delacroix.**

**P.S. I love Cliffhangers. It's a bad habit of mine I apologise.**

* * *

><p>"Gandr!"<p>

A bullet of black light fires from the tip of Tohsaka Rin's finger at the place where I initially stood, leaving a hole in the wall.

"What? Tohsaka, what are you doing?"

"I said it before right? We're both Masters. That means we're enemies, and since you have no idea how to perform magic, and don't have your Servant with you, this is a perfect time to get rid of you. Gandr!"

She gives me no warning this time. I sidestep the bullet narrowly, and run back up the stairs.

"Hey, don't run! Gandr!"

The wall on my left shatters.

"Gandr!"

I cover my face with my arm to protect it from the debris of a shattered railing to my right.

"Stop running and let me kill you already!"

"If you say it like that, of course I'll keep running!"

I hear her footsteps following me up the stairs, and increase my speed accordingly. She continues firing those bursts of magic at me. Based on the amount of destruction the spell was doing to walls and railings made of cement and metal respectively, getting hit by one of those would hurt like hell. This knowledge drives me to run faster. Turning onto the 3rd floor landing, I run into the corridor. Turning left, I head for the linkway connecting the main building and the science wing.

To my left and right, debris from the destructive impacts of Rin's spells fly at me. Finally, just as I reach the door to the main building, I am stopped in my tracks by two consecutive shots, on either side of me. Warning shots.

I turn back and face Tohsaka.

"Sorry Emiya-san, but this has to be."

I slowly, stealthily place my hand on the door handle behind me. As she raises her hand, I prepare to make a run for it.

However, at that moment, a nauseating feeling sweeps over me. Rin visibly feels it too. The scent of blood fills our noses, and I gag due to the sudden uncomfortable smell. I move over to the window, and I see a sort of translucent red barrier encasing the boundaries of the school. This is clearly a Bounded Field of some sort. Faced with a magical spell of this magnitude, I turn to Rin's profound knowledge.

"What's going on?!"

"A bounded field…but whose…?"

"Tohsaka, let's put off our chase. We need to figure out what's going on!"

She hesitates, then looks at me resolutely.

"Alright. Let's go. We should first check the main building."

She steps up to me and stands on the other side of the door. Opening the door, we rush into the hallway…

"Urkh!"

A terrible sight. I gag at what is presented before me. In the hallway, students are lying on the ground, unconscious. These students are melting, their skin slowly dissolving into a pool of liquid matter. Strangely enough, their clothes seem to be part of their body, melting away at the same rate. I put one hand against the wall to steady myself, unable to comprehend what this scene is.

I look over at Rin. At first glance, she seems unaffected, but then I notice the shaking hands, the dilating pupils, the shivering throughout her body. She is just as disgusted by this as I am, she is merely better at hiding it. She notices me looking and takes in a few deep breaths, regaining her normal calm composure.

"It's not real."

"Not real?"

"The melting skin's an illusion. A metaphor."

I breathe a sigh of relief.

"So the students aren't in danger?"

"No, they are in serious danger."

"I thought you just said it wasn't real."

"I said it was a metaphor."

"A metaphor? For what?"

"Their life force. This is a spell designed to drain the life energy of people within its sphere."

"What? Why would anyone want to do that?"

"Life energy is a very potent source of energy. It can be used as a replacement for prana."

"Prana? But why would anyone need so much prana that it is equivalent to a whole school of students."

"I can think of several reasons. One of the more likely ones is that a magus is trying to power a large-scale magical spell. But life energy is too raw for use in delicate spells with large reach, so that's improbable. The other reason, which is more likely, is that it is a magus trying to supply an extremely powerful familiar with energy."

"…You mean a Servant."

"Yes. A Servant. Which, therefore, means that…"

"There's a third Master in our school."

"Exactly."

I knead my forehead in frustration. A third Master. Great. More trouble for me.

"So? What should we do?"

"If we leave this field alone, it'll eventually render all these students comatose. The Master is probably using a central point to channel the field, if we eliminate that, the field should disappear."

"So? Where do you think this point is?"

"The rooftop."

"The rooftop? Why the rooftop?"

"It is an excellent vantage point, so the Master will be able to see any unfriendly magi approaching the field's source. Also, since it's the highest point on the school, the Master will be able to make a quick escape if caught. Finally, since it's directly on top of the school, it will allow the field to cover the entire school as opposed to only a certain part."

"…wow."

I am amazed by her composure. In the face of such a terrible scene, she just maintains her calm and analyses the situation.

"How long do we have?"

"Until these people turn into soulless husks? About an hour at most."

"Well, let's get moving."

We start running, the rooftop of the school set as our destination. As we run, thoughts flash through my head. Who is the third Master? Why did Sakura tell me not to stay in school? Did she know this was going to happen? Could Sakura be the third Master? I sincerely hope it is not so. Sakura is basically the last person I want to have to fight. How about Shinji? That jerk seemed to know something too. I banish the thought. There is no way someone as stupid as Matou Shinji would be selected as a Master.

Lost in my thoughts, I start to trail behind Rin. Eventually I cannot even see her, though I know she is ahead of me. As I run to the top of the stairs, I see the door to the rooftop ajar. Bursting through onto the rooftop, I see Rin face to face with…Matou Shinji.

He notices me enter the scene and does a double take.

"Emiya? How are you…? Oh"

He starts to laugh maniacally.

"You're the other Master? You've got to be joking. How did a peasant like you end up getting a Servant?"

"How did someone as clearly lacking in mental faculties as you end up learning how to think long enough to summon a Servant?"

"You…you…you…"

He has no reply. A smirk spreads across my face.

"Don't act so cocky! I can see your Servant's not here with you. Well, meet mine. Come on, Rider!"

A woman appears out of thin air. With long, purple hair trailing behind her, Rider is a beauty indeed. Adorned in thighhigh leggings, vambraces stretching the length of her arms, she has a highly intimidating presence. Although the black colour scheme, the choker around her neck, the blindfold across her eyes and the presence of multiple belts do make the attire seem to be a form of bondage gear, it accentuates her beauty and the deadliness of this woman. Swallowing my fear of her, I insult Shinji more.

"Really. You're just going to tell two enemy Masters the class of your Servant."

Rin snorts. Shinji's face takes on a mortified expression.

"It's…It's…It's only because I know you two will be dead soon! Aahahahahahaha!"

He tries to cover up his blunder with bravado, but neither Rin nor I fall for it. I continue to smirk, while Rin starts to giggle.

"Just go DIE! Rider, go!"

Rider vanishes. I look left and right, unable to see her. Where did she go? My intuition kicks in and I dive to the right, just in time to avoid Rider's attack from above. She lands on the floor, a sharp silver spike in the place where my head had just been. That is her weapon. Two sharp, silver spikes, bound together by a chain, one held in each hand. Turning around, she locks on to me again and dashes to me. I quickly sidestep her, but her blade cuts a gash in my left arm. Rider comes back around for another pass. I notice that Rider is only attacking me and completely ignoring Rin. Seeing Rin looking at me, I mouth _"source"_. She nods and closes her eyes. I turn my face just in time to avoid a strike, and duck down to avoid the follow-up strike. Turning into the stairway, I run back down and start to run through the school.

"Tch, running away? Get her, Rider!"

_Shinji must really hate me._

That's my first thought as I run down the stairs. However, if he's chasing me, that means he's not protecting the field. Rin should be able to take the bounded field out easily.

My heart pounding, I continue to lead Rider and Shinji on a chase, trusting my instinct and nothing else. Trusting my intuition, I lower my body and continue running, allowing a blade to pass over my head as Rider materializes in front of me. Ducking under her now-overextended arm, I continue my mad dash down the corridor. As I run, I recall the details of Allen's sword. Preparing the blueprint in my mind, I open my magic circuits.

"Trace, on."

"Projection: Akutsukai."

The blade appears in my right hand. Coming to a sudden halt, I turn around and extend the sword in one fluid motion, toward the rapidly closing Rider. Faced with the sudden appearance of a new weapon, Rider kicks forward to propel herself back, creating distance between us.

Shinji finally catches up and sees the stand-off between me and Rider.

"What? Where'd she get that sword? Ah, who cares, not like she knows how to use it. Rider, attack!"

Rider seems to hesitate, but dashes towards me, closing the distance. I ready Akutsukai, blade held diagonally to the ground. The first dagger strikes toward my head from the right. I swing the weapon upwards to parry it, using the momentum of the swing to complete the arc and parry the second strike, a stab aimed at my abdomen. Rider does not relent, though. She follows up with another stab at my neck, a swinging strike at my head from the left, a rightward stab at my chest. All of these I avoid or parry, strangely.

Shinji was right: Normally, I would not be able to use the sword in my hand. Yet, when I hold this blade, I become a different person. I know instinctively how to use the blade effectively, I know the blade's strengths and weakenesses, I know how to minimize my blind spots. Somehow, I am emulating the original owner of the weapon. Caster mentioned something about a weapon's history; might that be the reason?

Rider strikes at my right thigh. I do not have the time to consider this now. She begins a downward strike at my head, and I move my blade upwards to intercept. However, she instead uses her other blade to strike at my chest. A feint. Due to the momentum of the swing, my sword completes its arc, leaving my back completely exposed to Rider. As her dagger rushes towards the small of my back, I flick my right wrist, catching the sword in my left, using its blade to redirect the dagger. Unfortunately, I am unable to completely parry the strike. The blade grazes the right side of my chest, leaving a wound soaked in blood. The pain causes me to lose concentration, and my blade starts to shimmer.

I use the blade to drive Rider away by slashing at her neck. Kicking off, she retreats several meters away, allowing me to widen the distance by running as fast as possible. Each step causes pain to sear through my side, and I am forced to focus on widening the distance to the exclusion of all else. I allow the sword to shatter, and keep running until I hit a dead end. Turning around, I see Rider running to me. I hold out my left hand. The red stigmata upon it start to glow.

"By the power of the Command Spell, I order you to appear at my side, Caster!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Hello all! Sorry for the long wait. Finally, after a significant amount of planning, here's chapter 13. More action scenes! :3 Still trying to figure action scenes out, so please let me know if it bores you. **

**It's a bit repetitive, but face it; Real life action sequences are the same thing over and over again. To make the fight as realistic as possible, I spent quite some time simulating it with thin air, must have looked kind of stupid . Hopefully my efforts were not for naught, and the fight scene is believable and enjoyable. **

**IN THIS CHAPTER: LANE SWAP! This is how she's going to use her magic offensively.**

**As always, please do R&R, and leave me your critique. Now, with no further ado: presenting Fate/Second Sight, Chapter 13.**

**Merci,**

**Orpha Delacroix.**

* * *

><p>The command spell on my hand glows a dazzling red. Pain sears through my nerves as the mark burns itself off the back of my hand, leaving behind a pale, faded mark as the only indication that anything had once held that space.<p>

The air shimmers beside me, and, with a flash of light, Caster appears by my side, dressed in her full regal attire, the frilly yellow dress billowing in the breeze that accompanies her arrival. She gives me a momentary glance to check whether I am safe, then turns her attention to the enemy, to Rider. The two beings, each holding power beyond human comprehension, calmly regard each other. Then, Rider settles into a low crouch, a striking position. Caster opens her small mouth. Rider kicks off against the ground, dashing towards Caster. As she moves, Caster begins to sing:

"_Near, Far, Underground._

_Without the fog, nameless flowers will bloom together._

_A Place was made to protect the girl_

_The Sword of moon souls is awarded"_

Rider materializes in front of Caster, bringing her dagger down to impale Caster, but it is blocked by an invisible barrier. She slashes at Caster once more, but again she is repelled. She kicks away, creating distance between herself and Caster.

Caster's song abruptly changes.

"_In the Scattering Twilight_

_The Sun is red, like teary eyes_

_Bit by bit, as if dissolving,_

_Little by little, this world is dying"_

Fiery meteors begin falling from the sky. Crashing into the ground, they leave no mark, no damage, but when one tags Rider, it explodes, leaving her left arm dripping with blood, the skin seared. As the meteors continue to rain down, Rider evades each shot, cautiously closing the distance between herself and Caster. As she closes in, Rider switches back to the initial song, raising the protective barrier once more. Again, Rider is halted by the barrier, but this time, she strikes it with both daggers. The sound of shattering glass echoes through the corridor, as she breaks through Caster's spell. Caster has no time to react as Rider continues her charge. She raises her dagger and plunges it down, aiming for Caster's throat. Time slows down for me. Caster's eyes widen as she sees Rider coming in for the kill. Her face changes to a weak smile as she closes her eyes, preparing for her end.

No.

No.

Not Caster. Not now.

I find myself standing between Caster and Rider, Akutsukai in hand, deflecting Rider's attack. In my peripheral vision, I see Caster's eyes widen in shock as I push her backwards, forcibly creating distance between her and Rider. Gripping Akutsukai in both hands, I swing downward, forcing Rider to retreat backwards. Keeping her in my sight, I walk backwards, widening the gap. Caster taps me on the shoulder. I tilt my head towards her, but keep my eyes on Rider.

"Ayaka, I think it might be better if you fight and I act as support."

"What? You want me to fight a Servant? There's no way I can compete against a Heroic Spirit like Rider. I'm just a normal human!"

"But you hold a Noble Phantasm, and that makes a big difference."

"It's just a sword!"

"It's a sword with the memories and experience of a great fighter. Experience which you have the ability to assimilate."

"I still think this is a bad idea. But alright. Make sure you support me!"

"Of course, my dear Master."

All this while, Rider continues to stare me down, looking for an opening. Following my intuition, I follow her subtle movements, matching her very step. Behind me, Caster begins a new song.

"_In the shadow of the lost history_

_Thinking about the lost days_

_The voice echoing in my heart is full of suffering_

_My wish doesn't reach to the paradise,__  
><em>

_It just bends along with my voice__  
><em>

_Just fades, and repeats again...__  
><em>

_I want to check with my hand,__  
><em>

_your sound of warmth__  
><em>

_Not even knowing that I'd get hurt."_

Energy surges through my veins. My senses sharpen. Suddenly, I not only see Rider before me, I hear the movements she makes in the air. My body becomes light, and the sword in my left hand becomes a familiar object. Foreign memories enter my mind, merging with my own to create a new entity. I am no longer just Emiya Ayaka, I am also Allen Avadonia. The strength of this truth invigorates me, gives me power. I relax my grip on my sword, shifting my stance to a casual one-handed fencing stance, leaving an opening near my lower torso.

Seeing this opening, Rider lunges forward. I smile. I loosen my grip on the sword, such that when she appears before me, I am able to easily reverse the grip of the sword, slashing the now downward-facing sword upwards to parry her stab. Taking advantage of her loss of balance, I complete the revolution of the sword, reversing it once more to make it face the correct way. In the same movement, I move in and slash Rider several times with the sword. Some of the hits, she blocks in the last second with a dagger. But one slash, aimed at her arm, grazes her skin.

Blood begins flowing from the open wound. Rider kicks the ground and creates distance once more. Clutching her injured arm, Rider snarls at me. I chase her down, closing the distance for another strike. Moving inside her guard, I thrust upwards, towards her chin. Unable to parry the strike, she is forced to dodge to the right. Allowing the sword to come to the end of its arc, I tilt the blade and slash downwards to her neck. She lets herself fall to the ground, beyond the reach of my sword, then does a backflip, kicking the sword out of my hand while moving away. Unfazed, I dash into her guard once more, Tracing a new copy of Akutsukai in the process. With the blueprint stored away in my memory, I am able to do so much more quickly. This time, she sees me chasing her and stops in her tracks, preparing her daggers to engage.

I slash from the right, a strike which is parried, then down, which Rider blocks again. I cannot go inside her guard again, it is too well-protected, so I continue raining blows down on her, but each strike is countered, parried. Eventually, under the force of my strikes, the traced Akutsukai shatters, leaving me disarmed. Seeing an opportunity, Rider slashes at my neck, but her dagger is stopped by an invisible barrier.

_Caster!_

Taking advantage of her bad position, I kick her hard in the gut, sending her flying while allowing me time to trace another copy of Akutsukai. Again, both of us stand at opposite ends of the room, regarding each other with the coldness of grudging respect.

At this moment, a certain Matou Shinji walks in, panting from the exertion of climbing stairs and running. He takes in the scene and shouts indignantly,

"Rider! You incompetent Servant! What's taking you so long! She's just an ordinary human,, are you so useless that you can't even kill a weak human?!"

Rider's face twitches. I have to suppress a laugh at that sight, but I can clearly see that Rider does not like her Master at all.

"What are you doing, you incompetent Servant? Attack!"

Once again I am reminded of the fact that Matou Shinji is a scumbag defiling the face of the Earth, and I am heavily tempted to dash to him and decapitate him. Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to carry out this great deed, as Rider goes on the offensive, dashing towards me, slashing down at me with both daggers. I narrowly block her strike, and again, and again, but she is relentless. She keeps attacking, but with the skill I inherited from the sword, as well as Caster's reinforcement, I manage to block all her attacks. Meanwhile, in the back, Matou Shinji continues to be an annoying prick.

"Kill her already, you useless piece of shit! I can't believe my luck, that I would get the weakest Servant of them all. What a joke!"

I begin to feel somewhat sad for Rider for having to put up with such an obnoxious Master. Unfortunately, my sympathy for Rider's situation cannot be translated into actions, given that she is trying to kill me. Strike after strike, I am driven into a corner. Finally, after I parry a feint at my right with a counter stab to her abdomen, she is forced to back off, allowing me to have breathing space.

Both of us are becoming visibly frustrated at our respective inability to gain an advantage over the other. This battle is taking too long, and we are both tiring. My blouse is drenched with sweat, and I am breathing heavily. Any normal human would have collapsed long ago, but with the power of Caster's reinforcement, I am still able to keep going, but not for long. I move in for one final assault. Strike after strike after strike I attack Rider, again countered by her daggers at every turn, in the whirling fury of blades that is our dance. Right, down, up and right, lunge. Every move is perfectly blocked, every strike countered beautifully, every counterstrike parried. But her complete defence starts to waver. Her movements are slower, her strikes less precise. Finally, a lunge manages to slip past her defence, cutting a thin line of red across her cheek. Her face emotionless, she uses my extended guard to execute a roundhouse kick that sends me flying into a wall. Pain shoots through my back, but I manage to remain standing. Impatience is beginning to show on Rider's face.

The flow of mana in the air shifts. It is concentrating on Rider. Huge stores of magical energy are accumulating within her body. Specifically, within her face. Rider's killing intent permeates the entire room, even Shinji stops ranting. Rider's lips begin moving quickly, silently. I hear Caster draw a sharp intake of breath. She relaxes her arms, lowering her weapons. An ideal opening to strike, but something warns me against attacking her. Some primal instinct. Fear? Maybe. But I am certain that if I do engage her at that moment, I shall die.

I hear Caster's voice begin to sing a new song.

"_Please don't cry, when you're lonely_

_Strain to hear my voice_

_Even when it rains, even at the dawn_

_The Earth rotates with us_

_Even if we are apart_

_We are one like Gemini in the sky_

_Even in the noisy daytime, even at the lonely night_

_We are Gemini, fated to meet beyond the sky"_

For some reason, the song appears to have no effect on the situation whatsoever. Could Caster's spell have failed? Whatever the case, I now face Rider, staring her down. Her hand moves upwards, causing me to instinctively tense up. From the magic gathering within her, I make a deduction: she is about to use her Noble Phantasm. I understand that there is no way for a human such as myself, no matter how empowered, to withstand the power of a Noble Phantasm.

Opening my magic circuits, I flood my legs with prana, reinforcing them, making them faster, more resilient, in preparation of the evasion of Rider's next attack. Her hand continues its upward motion, to her blindfold. She calmly, slowly, removes her blindfold. I feel a feeling of dread as she faces me with closed eyelids. The air before me shimmers slightly, and I feel a shiver along my spine. I prepare to run, bracing for the worst. Caster's singing intensifies.

Rider opens her pure, white eyes.


	14. Chapter 14 - END

**Author's Note: OH WOW 7 MONTHS SINCE LAST UPDATE. Really sorry guys, real life caught up with me, and I just haven't had the time to write as much, between school, friends, and games. Really feel guilty about keeping you all in , after MONTHS of waiting, here's the next chapter of F/SS. I cried while writing this one, to be honest. I'd like to thank all my readers for being consistent in their support despite my inconsistency, though I did get some hate mail a month or two ago. Something about killing my pet hamster. Well, I don't have one :D And without further ado, I present to you: Fate/ Second Sight.**

* * *

><p>A feeling of dread and fear runs through my body. Transfixed by her staring eyes, I am unable to move my body nor avert my gaze. Behind me, Caster shouts my name, though her voice seems muffled somewhat. My arms, my legs, my torso; all feel heavy as lead…no, heavy as stone.<p>

Mustering some incredible force of will, I crane my neck downwards, to observe that my legs have turned into pure stone. I try to move them, but they are too heavy. By some invisible force, I am compelled to stare into Rider's eyes once more.

As I continue staring, I lose all feeling in my thighs, then my abdomen, then my hands. I feel someone's arms wrapping around me. Caster's arms. However, their touch feels strange, like I am feeling her skin beneath a sheer veil. Then, I start to see Caster's feet turn to stone too, and her touch no longer feels foreign. Tears stream from her eyes as she says my name over and over again. For some morbid reason, I am happy to see her lament my passing. I finally reconcile with the feelings I possess for Caster: Love.

I love Caster.

Now, at these final moments, I accept that. I lean in towards her and we kiss. A long, drawn-out, passionate kiss. We close our eyes and lose ourselves in each other's love.

I feel the stone creeping up our bodies, but we remain in ourembrace. If we are to become sculptures of stone, let us be an immortalisation of our love.

Though we shall soon feel nothing, at least we feel this.

Though we shall soon be unchanging, frozen in time, we are living in the moment, changing each other.

Though we shall soon pass from this world, at least we have…

Each…

…

**DEAD END**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note 2: So, this has been an awesome journey, and I really enjoyed writing this fic. It may have turned out to be very lacking, but overall, it's my first 20k+ fic, so I'm personally pretty happy with what I've done. I hope you've enjoyed reading this.<strong>

**I actually wrote this chapter way back on 1/4/2013, but kept forgetting to post it up here. Again, I apologise, and thank you all for your support **

**Signing off,**

**Orpha Delacroix.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: Pfffft, you didn't think I'd actually let my story end like that, did you? Where's all the character development? The romance? The "mana transfer rituals" (winkwink)? As I mentioned at the end of that BAD END chapter, I had written that for April Fool's day, so... yeah :/ Anyway, the real chapter is here! Everything I said in the last one still holds, and I have made a promise to myself to try and devote a bit more of my time to writing, so hopefully Updates will now arrive in intervals of weeks rather than months. Still, since I'll be doing major National Exams this year, I can't really promise anything concrete; but I can promise that I will try.**

**Now, about this chapter: It may be a bit disjointed, that's because there was a 2 month interval between the penning of the first and second halves. I apologise in advance I think my style had some subtle changes, shouldn't be anything too jarring though. My justification for her adoption of the Fake Opening style is kind of an asspull, but I couldn't think of anything else T_T But don't worry; it's not going to be her main fighting style :D I'm unique that way :D Regardless, When (if) the series is finished, I'll probably do a rewrite of this chapter to flow more nicely and to make more sense. Also in this chapter, We get to see how much of an arse Shinji is. YAY!**

**Now, without further ado, I present to you, the TRUE 14th chapter of Fate/Second Sight.**

* * *

><p>Instinctively, I dash to the right. With my reinforced legs, I can move at inhuman speeds. In less than a second, I am almost directly behind Rider. Looking up, I see...myself?<p>

I see myself, or an image of myself, turning slowly to stone. What is going on? A doppelganger? I turn in Caster's direction and see her singing softly. Did she cast some sort of illusion spell? I look on as the conversion inches towards completion. I move silently behind Rider. With her attention focused on the false image of me, she does not notice me behind her. Approaching her back, I heft Akutsukai's hilt, raising it up to deliver the killing blow.

"Rider, you idiot, he's behind you!"

A flustered Matou Shinji calls out. I silently curse over having forgotten his insignificant existence. Regardless, I swing the sword down against Rider's back, but Shinji's warning alerted her to my presence. She spins around as I bring down the sword, and her expression of surprise contorts into one of pain as the blade scores a large gash across her shoulder. Suppressing my anger at my miss, I retreat and make a dash back to Caster's side. Rider looks me in the eye, but I feel no mana from her person. Her last assault must have drained her.

"Emiya!"

Tohsaka Rin chooses this moment to make her appearance into the scene. Noticing the bleeding Rider and my battle stance, Rin's eyes widen.

"You…you fought a Servant?!"

Matou scowls.

"Tch. It's going to be annoying to take on 2 Masters at once, even if they're peasants. Rider, you useless Servant, we're retreating."

Rider runs to Shinji's side and scoops him up in her arms, before jumping out the window. Rin mutters softly.

"If we let him get away, he might be able to create this field again in another part of the city. We have to hunt him down now. But before that…"

She turns to face me.

"You. Explain how you just managed to fight off a Servant without dying."

"Um. Well. Caster cast some spells to strengthen my body and increase my speed."

Rin furrows her brows, as if in thought.

"Hmmmm… The Master taking the role of the combatant, with the Servant acting as support. A reversal of the accepted paradigm. I guess that it does overcome the inherent limitations of the Caster class Servant…"

"Tohsaka-san, as much as I would like to hear your opinions on our fighting style, could we focus on chasing after Shinji?"

Rin turns red.

"O-of course! Archer!"

The pink-clad woman appears next to Rin.

"Come on, we're chasing after that idiot!"

Archer nods, holding Rin's shoulder and waist, and jumps out the window.

Caster approaches me. I nod my acknowledgement. She bends down and scoops me up in her arms. I take advantage of the sudden closeness to wrap my arms around Caster's shoulders, resting my head in her soft hair. I feel the two of us taking off the ground.

"Hold tight, Ayaka."

Caster's comforting voice washes over me. I hug her tighter. I want to lose myself in this moment, my hair scattered by the cold wind, our two bodies intertwined together in a wordless, warm embrace. I want to forget that we are in a twisted Battle Royale. I want to forget that we are hunters, and that our quarry is an obnoxious sociopath. I want to know nothing else but the joy of Caster's warmth.

Yet.

No matter how much I wish it otherwise, I have an obligation – to Caster, to Rin, to all my friends – to stop Shinji here and stop him from hurting others. I steel my resolve, and open my eyes, looking at the scene below us, my chin nestled comfortably on Caster's shoulder. We are flying, high up above the city. The bright lights of the night scene glimmer beneath us, an image of human life. Each light is a shop, a person, a life. There are thousands.

Closing my eyes, I imagine the scenes. That light there is a flower shop, with a businessman buying flowers for his wife. That over there is a secret lab, with a mad scientist, a superhacker and a little girl working together to travel through time. I laugh at my overactive imagination. Either way, these snippets of daily life, this montage of clashing identities, is what is at stake in this battle. If we fail to stop Shinji here, he may attempt that bounded field again, possibly ruining the lives of a great many.

Never have I felt responsible for so many people at once. Is this what it means to be a hero? Is this the feeling you wanted to hold, Kiritsugu? Is this the load you wished to carry? Is this the burden you wanted to shoulder? Kiritsugu, let me, today, be the hero for you. I will protect these people. I will end Matou Shinji here.

A glint in the distance catches my eye. Leaning forward, I squint, spotting a single figure leaping across the rooftops, purple hair trailing behind her. I point her out to Caster and we change directions. Rider seems to be approaching a skyscraper. We trail behind them, keeping a safe distance.

Finally, Rider alights atop the rooftop of a towering skyscraper. We close in on them, remaining as stealthy as possible.

"Damn it, Rider, you useless piece of trash! You can't even take on a weakling like EMIYA?! What the fuck is wrong with you?" He assaults her with a right hook, but Rider simply accepts the blow. Expressionless. Emotionless. She does not say anything, she does not betray any inner thought. Her face a stone mask, she takes the abuse. "ARGH! Why the hell did I end up with such a useless excuse for a Servant!"

As he continues berating her for being outmatched in a disadvantageous situation, Caster and I look on in disgust. This person was my classmate? Was Sakura's brother? I hear Rin touching down gently beside me. I instinctively turn to face her, to come face to face with an amazing sight.

Both Rin and Archer are fixated on Shinji's mistreatment of Rider, Rin with thinly veiled disgust. That is to be expected. What is surprising, however, is that Archer's face does not carry her usual emotionless expression. Looking down at the scene below us, Archer's gaze is filled with hatred and fury; if rage was a weapon, Archer, at this moment, possesses a veritable armory. But then again, in the face of such injustice, perhaps even the coldest hearts can begin to feel indignation. As I continue staring at Archer, Rin interrupts my train of thought.

"Disgusting, isn't it?"

I simply nod my head in agreement.

"No Master has the right to treat a Servant like that. I am, in fact, rather impressed that Rider is keeping her calm. Any other Servant would, I think, have snapped and attempted to murder their Master by now."

"Regardless, it's not right. If it's impossible to break the contract between them, we have to at least free Rider from this farce of a Master."

Rin allows herself a slight grin.

"Hmmmm… euthanizing the Servant… I kind of like that idea."

"Well then, let's go."

I jump off the ledge, knowing Caster will catch me. Taking Rin by the shoulder, Archer leaps off the building as well. As expected, I soon find myself comfortably in Caster's hands.

"Are you ready for this, Caster?"

"For you, Master, most certainly."

All this while, Shinji's tirade and abuse of Rider had not ceased.

"An ancient Greek deity figure? Don't make me laugh! You expect me to believe that when you're so ridiculously weak?!"

"Oh, Greek mythology? That narrows things down a lot. Thank you very much!"

Rin's voice, magically amplified, cuts through the night, interrupting Shinji's rant.

"What the- oh fuck!"

Rin and I set foot on the rooftop Shinji occupies at the same time, on either side of him. Unable to restrain my sense of rising disgust, I run up to him with no warning of any kind and deliver a solid punch in his face, sending him reeling.

"What are you doing, you useless Servant? Protect me!"

With that command, Rider finally moves to engage me. Acknowledging the threat she poses, I step back as Caster begins her song.

_"In the shadow of the lost history  
>Thinking about the lost days<br>The voice echoing in my heart is full of suffering  
>My wish doesn't reach to the paradise,<br>It just bends along with my voice  
>Just fades, and repeats again...<br>I want to check with my hand,  
>your sound of warmth<br>Not even knowing that I'd get hurt."_

Energy flows through me, as I again accept into myself the aspect of Allen Avadonia.

"Trace, on!"

Pulling the blueprints for that ornate sword from the vault of my mind, I carefully recreate it, reproducing every aspect of its existence and creation. As my hand grips the materialising handle of Akutsukai, a slight hum permeates my mind. With sharpened senses, a clearer mind, I look straight at Rider. Her body is quivering. She has not fully recovered from our previous skirmish. In truth, neither have I. Fighting on the level of the Heroic Spirits is highly taxing on the body; if not for Caster's healing abilities, as well as the vigour of Allen's aspect, I would have long since collapsed in exhaustion. Regardless, neither of us are in optimal condition, and a battle would likely end in either desperation, or stalemate.

Without warning, without any perceptible shift in her weight, Rider rushes me, daggers held in hand, determined to finish the fight quickly and decisively. Anticipating a feint to the right, I prepare to thwart her plan, but then I am struck by a distinct possibility. Instead of guarding my left, as common sense would ordinarily advise, I shift my weight to the right, leaving myself completely open on the left. As expected, she quickly changes her footing and strikes towards my left flank…

…only to be met by the blade of Akatsukai, quickly reversed in my hand to intercept the coming blow. I make use of her loss of balance as a result of my counter-feint, righting the grip of the sword and thrusting it toward her neck. She allows herself to completely lose balance, causing her to fall to the ground and subsequently, causing my attack to miss. Kicking off hard against the floor, she backflips away.

Back to our initial positions, I hold Akutsukai loosely, standing in a relaxed stance. I have a wide opening across my entire left side, and my guard is weak around my neck area in particular. However, since I know my openings, I am fully able to protect them. As expected, she goes for my neck. She dashes towards me, and suddenly disappears. I deduce that she is attacking from behind me, my blind spot. Swiftly turning and ducking down in a single motion, I narrowly avoid the horizontal path of Rider's daggers. Now inside her guard, I strike upwards with Akustukai, aiming to pierce her neck.

Realising her mistake, Rider quickly bends her head back, causing my blade to leave naught more than a shallow cut across her left cheek. She kicks me away, causing me to tumble for several moments before I backroll into a proper standing position.

I again assume a relaxed stance. This time, Rider eyes me warily, watching for any tricks. I am beginning to feel much more comfortable with this style of fighting, a style that relies largely on the abnormally fast reflexes bestowed by Caster's magic, the caveat that an opponent will always seeks to exploit an opening, and a ridiculous amount of luck. This style allows me to gauge an opponent's combat abilities and mindset before launching my offensive. By deliberately making openings, I can effectively control the opponent. This warrants further experimentation.

I am interrupted in my thoughts by a Rider that apparently decided that trying something and possibly failing was by far a better option thantrying nothing at all. As she dashes towards me, I realise I had not been paying attention; I am not ready to defend myself.

"Gandr!"

An orb of condensed curse magic strikes Rider, knocking her out of her charging course and leaving her disoriented. Rin! Rather than waste time thanking Rin in her welcome and timely assistance, I use Rider's temporary disorientation to close in on her. As she sees my approach, she holds up her daggers to defend her heart and neck. Therefore, I am forced to change my target. I inflict a deep slash across her left calf, severing the tendon. Fearing retaliation, I then kick off and back away to observe my handiwork.

As expected, her now useless leg is unable to support her, and she collapses to the ground as a result. I look up and stare a frightened Matou Shinji in the eye.

"Shinji, you've lost. Your Servant is crippled."

Tohsaka Rin walks up beside me.

"Yeah, just give up. We won't kill you." She smiles sadistically. "Anything within that threshold, though, I can't make any promises about."

Shinji's eyes seem to bulge out of their sockets.

"Lost? I've lost? HA! HAHAHA! You damn idiots! You haven't seen Rider's real power yet! Did you forget? She's a RIDER!"

Shinji reaches into his back and retrieves an archaic tome. Flipping it open, he gives an order:

"Rider, by the power of the Command Spell, I order you to do everything in your power to defeat those two peasants!"

The book glows, and Rider looks up jerkily. For the first time, I hear her voice. It is rather melancholic, yet soothing. It is a voice tinged with both sadness and hope. I am unable to understand her; she is speaking in an antiquated language. However, even the illiterate can appreciate a good story.

On the other hand, Rin is furiously muttering to herself.

"Ancient Greek… Deity figure… Mystic Eyes of Petrification… That must mean that Rider is Medusa. But why Rider class and not Caster class? As far as I know, the only thing in her legend pertaining to a mount is…" Her face turns pale. "Oh, no."

In the meanwhile, Rider's chanting and murmuring becomes more fervent, more desperate. I look to Rin.

"What's going to happen? What do you think she's going to do?"

Rin opens her mouth, evidently ready to explain her fear to me, but at that moment, Rider's chanting reaches a fever pitch, and I feel an incredible amount of magic gathering on this rooftop. Rin discards her prior explanation and simply states,

"Run. Now."

Jumping into our respective Servants' arms, we make our way to the adjacent roof. At that moment, Rider's chanting abruptly stops. A brief moment of silence, and then a single, thundering summons.

**"BELLEROPHON!"**


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is the 15th chapter of Fate/Second Sight. I don't particularly like how this chapter turned out - it's not that well-written : I must be getting rusty. I might do a rewrite later on, after I finish the full story. Sorry for the clustered text, it just sort of...happened... and I couldn't find any good points to break up the paragraphs. **

**Also, earlier on, I made a promise that I wouldn't include any other characters from popular culture. I'm going to have to break that promise QAQ. I thought of one that fit my narrative so well, I had to put it in. You'll see who it is later on, but it's a character from a game. My apologies to all the purists out there :/**

**Moving on! In this chapter, the Rider fight! Archer and Ayaka working together! Noble Phantasms! Explosions! Big Flying Horses with top speeds of 500km/h! Mystic Eyes abuse! and more!**

**Anyway, I'll leave you to enjoy this chapter, and, as always, Read and Review :**

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><p>I turn back and look at Rider, in time to see her slicing her dagger across the exposed skin of her throat. Vividly red gore sprays from the wound, forming a peculiar circle on the ground around her. The circle begins to glow, a bright red glow. The wind grows silent; the air grows unnatural. Clouds form above us, white clouds across the dark night sky. As the four of us look on in awe, a red magic circle appears on the surface of the cloud. Lightning flashes across the sky, and from the red marking erupts a white blur.<p>

Rider holds up her hand, and a golden glow encases said blur. As the summon approaches the ground, we are treated to a glance of its true form:

A heavenly beast.

The great white stallion radiates power, strong hooves pawing the ground, intelligent eyes staring at us. Atop its back, across its head, lie a brilliant golden harness, bridle and saddle. These, too, emanate power and divinity. Yet, what is most striking about the creature is not its brilliant white coat, nor the curiously golden riding set, nor even the magnificent, immaculate mane. It is the creature's wings. Attached seamlessly to the horse's flanks, the large, white, majestic wings cement the creature's divine nature. Brimming with feathers, the muscled wings flap powerfully against the ground, sending a large gust in our direction. The beast inspires awe in all who gaze upon it, reverence in all who look it in the eye. It is, doubtlessly, a holy creature, a Phantasmal Beast. Unable to withhold my wonder, I voice my thoughts.

"A Pegasus…"

"Not just a Pegasus. That is, if I am not mistaken, the first Pegasus." Rin corrects me.

As I begin to ask how Rin knows this, Rider swiftly jumps atop Pegasus, her face displaying pain at the exertion upon her injured leg, and coaxes it toward the sky. The magnificent creature braces its powerful legs against the ground and pushes off, disappearing in a blur. However, my sense of wonder is replaced with an ominous fear. The same goes for Rin, evidently;

"Emiya, RUN."

The hair on my neck stands as I feel a foreboding premonitory urge. Obeying it, I turn and make a dash for the next rooftop, counting on Caster to catch me as I fall. Not long after, I feel a searing heat across my back as the Pegasus collides into the rooftop we had previously been standing on. I shudder as I envision the creature smashing into me, and that motivates me to run faster.

As I keep running, using my magically-augmented muscles to leap across rooftops, Rin joins me in my flight, keeping pace with me. My curiosity left unsatisfied, I pose her a question as we run, with explosions following closely behind us.

"Wait, what does Medusa have to do with the Pegasus?!"

Rin answers me rather irritably, "The Pegasus burst forth from Medusa's decapitated neck after she was slain. Does it really matter right now?!"

I have to agree. "We have to get Rider to an open space if we want any chance at fighti-"

I stop my observation midway to pull Rin's hand and dash to the side rather than the front, guided by intuition. True enough, the next explosion impacts to our left, on the building we were about to jump to.

"She's getting creative." Rin's fear is evident in her voice.

"We should draw her to the riverbank. There's no one there at night, and it's wide enough to fight her effectively."

"Hm. You're right. We need to minimize the damage."

"You think there's any way we can talk our way out of this one? I'm not particularly looking forward to getting hit by a gigantic flying horse."

"Nope. The idiot used a Command Spell. She's going to kill us, or die trying."

"Right now, the first seems much more likely."

"Unfortunately."

We keep up our light banter, just to stop fear from overwhelming us. At this point, Rider's attacks now come randomly, and all that is keeping us alive is my –or rather, Allen Avadonia's – intuition and combat experience.

Finally, the quiet riverbank comes into sight. I jump off the last rooftop, prompting Caster to catch me and descend towards the river.

"Caster. This might be a difficult battle."

Caster, who has not once ceased singing, simply looks to me with concerned eyes.

"But I know I'll be okay; you're protecting me."

Caster's eyes twinkle, the same way they do when she smiles. Without once speaking, she embraces me as I snuggle closer to her, delighting in her warmth, both physical and emotional. I realize that I don't feel confused at all; I don't feel conflicted, or upset: the fear of imminent death has granted me clarity: enough to realize that I do feel something distinctly non-Platonic for Caster; Yet to what extent, exactly, I am still unable to pinpoint.

Finally, Caster sets me down on the grass, yet keeps her hand on my shoulder. I am grateful for it, reveling in her presence. However, I quickly make myself focus on the battle to come; In the air, we were safe: it would have been difficult for Rider to attack us. On the ground, however, is an entirely different situation.

Rin lands alongside me, carried by Archer, who then vanishes. I look at Rin questioningly.

"She went to set up."

"Set up what?"

"I have no idea, she refused to tell me. Stupid B rank Independent Action."

The frustration is evident in her voice.

"I'm sure she has a plan."

"And how do you know that?"

"…I'm not sure actually."

Our conversation is interrupted by a loud boom above us. I give Rin a strong shove and then leap off to the side, rolling back to my feet as Rider again misses her assault. Finally able to see her descent, I can understand how she seems to never receive any damage from her collisions: there is no collision. She slows down as the mount goes near the ground, channeling kinetic energy into mana as a devastating attack, while simultaneously changing direction and returning to the skies. The discovery makes me equal parts impressed, and terrified.

How does one fight a creature that never stops, that never stands still? The Pegasus is a rampaging enemy, charging forth and destroying all in its path in a brilliant cacophony of light and magic. One collision means death. We can dodge the attacks of the Pegasus with relative ease: its insane speed endows it with a ridiculous level of inertia, meaning it cannot change direction in mid-flight, no matter the strength in its muscles. However, while the creature seems tireless, I am only human: augmented by Caster's magic as I am, I do tire, I experience fatigue. It is impossible for me to dodge forever, but like Rin said: Rider is going to keep attacking us until either we die or she falls.

As the next attack nears, I scramble to formulate a plan of attack. An ominous coldness in my veins informs me as to Rider's presence above me. I push off, jumping backwards and out of the range of the full attack, but keeping close enough to see the course of the attack one more time. As the attack misses, a large gust of wind and mana assault me, sending me soaring through the sky to land hard on my back. Gashes appear on my skin, the result of the magical energy. A sharp pain wracks my body. A sharp, unyielding pain. Gritting my teeth, I get to my feet, catching Caster's horrified glance. I see her mouth shape beginning to change, and shake my head. If she heals me, I'll lose the magical augmentation, and without that, I definitely won't survive the next charge. As difficult as it is, I force back the pain and focus on what I saw.

The attack had taken a severe toll on me, but I managed to gleam some information through it: I found an opening. The sonic boom above me again warns me of the imminent attack. I grip Akutsukai tightly and prepare. I only have a small window of time in which to make my move. I turn my gaze to the sky and watch the white blur, rushing toward me. Every nerve in my body is screaming at me to run, but I fight down the urge and wait. Finally, when the beast is so close that I can see Rider's purple hair, I sidestep slightly and jump up, swinging Akutstukai in an upward arc as I ascend, slicing its flank just as it begins to slow down for the attack. I feel a slight resistance against the blade, but then I am swiftly blown away by the mana around the creature.

I am thrown on the ground, metres away, and am overtaken by pain. The blade drops to the ground and shatters into nothingness. I lose the faculties of my limbs as they thrash in reaction to the pain. My body arches, I can hear screaming. I think it's mine. Then, quickly as it began, the pain fades. Warmth seeps into my body, a nurturing melody falls upon my ears.

Caster.

Her healing spell works quickly, alleviating the pain, healing my injuries. Finally, when the pain is largely gone, I give her a nod, and she changes songs again. I am, briefly, saddened by the removal of that nurturing aria, but soon my body surges with vitality and prana once more. Looking around for Rider, I finally find her aloft, not attacking. Along the Pegasus' white flank is a single streak of black ichor, courtesy of my dissipated weapon. Rider looks down at me, her eyes still concealed with the visor.

As we gauge our respective positions, something catches my attention behind her. A single shining object. An object that, even from afar, vaguely resembles a sword. Rider, too seems aware of it: she quickly turns her attention to said object and tries to dive out of its path, but to no avail: the object reaches her vicinity and bursts in an explosion of pure prana, sending Rider sprawling to the ground.

A Broken Phantasm.

That weapon Caster had mentioned; a single-use, devastating attack performed by making the composition of a Noble Phantasm unstable through the overflow of prana. But, who would be daring enough to destroy their strongest weapon as a single attack? Archer told Rin she had gone to set up; is this what she meant? This single, devastating attack? As I ponder this, another projectile soars towards Rider, resulting in another resounding boom. As the dust clears, I see Rider, kneeling on the ground, clothing tattered in various places, blood dripping from her multitude of wounds. The Pegasus, too, is heavily damaged: black ichor covering its frayed fur.

Another projectile approaches for the kill. And another. And another; Five missiles in total. This time, the Pegasus flies up and puts itself in the path of the deadly projectiles, protecting its master, who seizes the chance to get up and begin a dash towards me, dagger in hand.

_She won't stop attacking until either we are dead, or she falls._

I finally understand the depth of the cruelty of Shinji's command. The bastard probably already ran away. Anger rising in me, I reforge Akutsukai, prepared to free Rider from this cruelty. Steeling my resolve to face her, I grip my sword tightly as she comes within 50 metres of me. Meanwhile, Archer's missiles are continuously blocked by the Pegasus. In a moment of sudden stillness, Rider stops her advance. I sense her gathering mana toward her, as she raises her hand to her visor. I recall her Mystic Eyes, and I grow cold. I grow fearful. If I so much as look at her, I will perish. I turn and run. I hear her running toward me. I close my eyes, fearful of her suddenly appearing before me. She won't fall for the previous duplication trick again. I run blindly, trusting my instinct to lead me in when to turn, while I desperately think of a solution to defeat her without looking at her. A weapon that can reach her even if I can't see her… what kind of a weapon would that be?

The answer dawns on me in a rush of insight. I know a weapon that might work, if the legends are true; in fact, I've had it used against me. As I think, I can sense Caster drawing near.

"Caster, stay back!"

Shinji's intent when he used that Command Spell was mainly to kill me: hence why all Rider's attacks thus far had been directed at me. Caster wouldn't be able to do anything to distract Rider, and her own offensive capabilities are far too weak. Worst of all, she might accidentally look upon Rider.

I continue my mad dash for life while focusing on the 7 steps of Tracing, trusting my body to avoid Rider, allowing Akutsukai to shatter, that I may have all my mental faculties on the task at hand.

**Step 1: Judge the concept of creation**. The weapon was created to kill. To kill loved ones, to kill its creator.

**Step 2: Hypothesising the basic structure**. 63% steel, 37% condensed mana

**Step 3: Duplicating the composition material**. I recreate the forging process, the process of the carving of the intricate detail into the weapon. I visualize the great shaman Scathach praying over it, granting it its cursed properties.

**Step 4: Imitating the skill of its making.** I recall the previous analysis. Searching deeper, I finally discover the method used to make this weapon lovingly by hand. I visualize myself as a blacksmith of the Gods, forging the spear that would end many a life.

**Step 5: Sympathising with the experience of its growth**. I experience the weapon being bestowed upon its user, I experience it being used to kill two loved ones, and no other.

**Step 6: Reproducing the accumulated years**. I visualize myself as the perpetrator of the two attacks, marking my misfortune through the killing of a friend and a child.

**Step 7: Completing the manufacturing process**. With this knowledge of the spear's make, its origin, its purpose, its history, I recreate the weapon. I recreate its base composition. I recreate its history. I retrace its steps. I recreate its existence. I recall its name. With this blueprint in mind, I call forth the prana in my magic circuits to shape that which I hold in my mind into reality.

The cold metal of the spear materializes in my right hand. I flood it with prana, feeling its composition start to break apart. It is that evil weapon that reverses cause and effect. Still with closed eyes, I thrust it forward, calling its name, knowing its curse will let it hit my target, wherever she may be.

"Gae Bolg!"

A brief silence ensues, and I am then knocked off my feet by the force of a great explosion on my right: the force of a Broken Phantasm.

Slowly, warily, I open my eyes. There, before me, on the ground, is what used to be the Servant Rider. Her body lies in pieces, strewn across the ground, red blood dripping from each part, limbs twisted in impossible angles. Her head, with its now-closed eyes, lies the closest to me, its left side distorted beyond recognition. Blood covers the ground, the land is soaked in red. All is quiet, the sounds of battle replaced with an eerie, somber silence.

Rin's somewhat sleepy voice sounds besides me,

"Ugh, Emiya. You didn't have to shove me so hard. You're treating me to lunch for that! What happened, did we w-"

Her voice trails off. I hear a sound of retching. I don't take notice. I just keep looking ahead, looking at Rider's grosteque remains.

I just killed Rider. I am a murderer. I just killed Rider. I am a murderer.

I just killed Rider.

I am a murderer.

I am a murderer.

I hear a scream.

.

.

.

I think it might have been mine.


	17. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! This is the 16th Chapter of Fate/Second Sight. It's slightly shorter than the others, and I'm going to be perfectly honest here: I REALLY enjoyed writing this chapter. This style of writing is more my style. After I finished it, I realised that the tone of this chapter was very different from the rest of the story, but I just had to put it in. So, I apologise in advance if the tone is jarring in relation to the other chapters.**

**I'll be the first one to admit that the various ideas and scenarios pictured here are rather cliche, but I've tried to make up for it by trying to capture Ayaka's state of mind.**

**Finally, in the last line of this chapter, finally the revelation of Caster's identity! Note that my version of the story will differ rather significantly from the original work from which Caster was plucked.**

**With that, I'll leave you to read this chapter. Thank you to everyone who's supported my work, and please, as always, Read and review. Thanks.**

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><p>"I…I…I'm a murderer. A killer. A sadist. A destroyer."<p>

I repeat these words, a mantra of guilt. I sense someone beside me. I think it's Caster. I don't care. She reaches her hand out to me, her skin lightly brushing against mine.

"Don't touch me!"

She withdraws her hand quickly. I clamp my hands over my eyes, a futile attempt to stop the cascade of tears. Tears of regret, of pain. My mournful wailing pierces the night sky. Mourning the loss of life, of faith, of innocence. Through blurry eyes, I see Archer before me, her face an odd mix of sympathy and contempt. Caster is by my side, whispering words, probably of encouragement, of comfort, but I am deaf to them all. I am deaf to all but the imagined screaming of my victim, I am blind to all but the dark depth of my sin.

I seem to feel my weight falling to the ground. I feel my strength leaving me. I think my knees hit the ground. Four words repeat in my mind, blocking out all other awareness.

_You are a sinner_

My hands fall limply to my sides.

_You are a sinner_

My body goes limp, collapsing to the ground.

_You are a sinner_

I see the vague silhouette of Caster looming over me, shaking me desperately.

_You are a sinner_

Everything fades to black.

_I am a sinner._

_Sinners must be punished._

I sit atop a throne, an ornately carved throne of roses. In my left hand, I hold a bloodied sword; In my right, a snake. The snake, imprisoned in my iron grip, tries to strike me. I swing the sword and decapitate it, tossing the snake away as just another piece of rubbish. I flash an arrogant smile and cross my legs upon the great throne. I feel something soft under my heel. Bending over, I see a pile of bleeding, beating hearts. My throne is no longer a throne of roses; it is a throne of beating, bleeding human hearts. A wineglass materializes in my right hand, in place of the snake. I take a sip of the liquid inside, a smooth blend of blood, ichor and despair. I savour the taste. Downing the liquid, I toss the glass aside, hearing a satisfying smashing sound. I stretch and recline against my throne of hearts, anticipating fresh cruelties to come.

A vine binds me to the chair. A sword, floating in the air of its own accord, hovers before me.

_You are a sinner._

_Sinners must be punished._

The sword drives itself into my breast, burying itself up to its hilt in my chest. A sharp, surreal pain wracks me. The sword pulls back, pulling along with it my beating heart.

_You are a murderer._

_Murderers are heartless._

I watch my heart disintegrate before me, and instantly I forget what it did. What logical use could such an organ have? It was a redundancy, and I am glad to be rid of it. The sword quivers, then splits, forming a thousand different swords.

_You are a sadist._

_Every ounce of pain you inflicted, you shall experience a thousandfold._

The swords pierce into my body in a thousand places, each delivering excruciating pain. The blades pierce my body, over and over, countless times.

_No! Not nearly enough! Never enough! Never can you atone for the depth of your sin!_

Each sword splits into a thousand more. The edges become serrated, become tipped with venom. As one, the swords pierce me. Each serrated tip tears a new hole in my skin. Each poison-tipped barb sends infusions of pain and torment coursing through my body. The swords pull back. My wounds heal instantly, such that the blades may tear apart flesh anew. Again and again they pierce me, again and again does pain tear up my body, ripping apart my soul. Yet, it is not enough; it is never enough.

_You are a sinner, and for that you must die._

Finally, the swords level themselves directly at my neck, and, all at once, plunge into it.

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><p>I am in a dark room. All around me is darkness, I cannot see anything. A light comes on: a dim light, but enough to offer me a single glimpse of my surroundings. I see myself. I see myself a hundred times, a thousand times. A thousands images of me, on a thousand panels of glass.<p>

My image is almost unfamiliar to me. My normally black hair is ashen grey, my normally black eyes are bloodshot. The pure white dress in which I am adorned is translucent, revealing an assortment of leather straps, chains, locks and spikes beneath the white garment. Across the front of my body is a single blood splatter, in my hand I hold a bloodied sword. I look down, and see nothing upon my own body which resembles the image: my hands are empty, my body covered in the opaque white dress. The thousand Ayakas speak as one chorus.

_"Emiya Ayaka. You are a sinner. You are a murderer. You are a sadist. You hide behind the illusion of innocence, of purity. But once you strip that away…"_

The thousand Ayakas tear away their flimsy dresses and fully expose the perverse garb beneath. I do the same, revealing that selfsame garment.

_"…what is left is more abhorrent than even the most decadent of in hand…"_

I feel the bloodstained sword in the grip of my palm, where nothing had been just moments before.

_"you exulted in the chance to show your true self, by the ruthless killing of that poor woman."_

The images bring their blades up to their mouths and lick the blood of the weapons seductively. I feel the cold metal and the tang of blood on my tongue as I follow in sync. My mouth opens.

_"Admit it, you are not a 'hero of justice', you are not a hero at all."_

The mirrors shatter as one, destroying all the thousands Ayakas. Nonetheless, I continue to speak.

_"Admit it! You are nothing but a dark soul filled with evil! You are a sinner! Admit it! Admit it!"_

The mirthless laughter erupting from my lips echoes throughout the room. The single light in the room shuts off.

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><p>I am standing in the plain alongside the riverbank. I am wearing the garb of chains and collars and locks, my grey hair fluttering behind me in the wind. Through bloodshot eyes, I observe the person opposite me: a person with purple hair and a visor, her hands chained together by her own chained knife. She kneels on the ground, head bowed submissively towards me, awaiting her death. In my left hand is a bloodstained sword, in my right hand is a singular, serrated, red spear, pulsing with magic, cracks running along its surface, the evidence of an overload of prana.<p>

A voice echoes around me.

_"Emiya Ayaka. You are a sinner and a murderer. Surely you know what to do now."_

My lips twitch upward in a slight smile. Of course. I take the sword and take several steps towards the fallen woman. What a pitiful sight. With a single, powerful swing, I decapitate her. Then, after kicking her body far away, I hold the red lance firmly in hand, and pierce myself through the heart. The pain sends convulsions through my body, and the unstable magic of the lance begins to unravel, causing the weapon to emit flashes of light. I smirk.

_Justice._

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><p>I wake up screaming. Or rather, I wake up to the sound of screaming, and that sound seems to originate from me. As the initial shock passes, I see a dark face over me. Panicking, my eyes dart around, looking for an escape, when the face speaks.<p>

"Ayaka? Are you really awake this time?"

That voice…that melodious voice…it's Caster. I take deep breaths, and Caster comes into focus. Her eyes are red and puffy. She has been crying. Over me? I don't deserve it. Not after what I've done.

"Yeah…I'm awake, I think…Oh, Caster!"

On an impulse, I spring up from my lying position and embrace her, crying into her shoulder. She says nothing, only holds me tight. I stayed there for a long time, counting on her for support. Finally, the tears slow down, and I look up.

A flash of purple.

I scream and recoil. Caster looks at me with concern.

"Ayaka, what's the matter?"

I look wildly around the room. She is here. She is judging.

"She's here! Here! Somewhere!"

Tears form in Caster's eyes.

"No she's not. Rider is gone, Ayaka. She was dead before you ever met her, and she's returned to where she originally was."

I blink and force myself to be rational. She's right. But the feeling of unease, of unrest still permeates my body.

"Caster…I think you should find another Master…"

Caster's look becomes one of shock, then pain.

"A new Master? Why? Do you not want me anymore? I'm sorry I forced the burden of battle on you, I shouldn't have, it won't happen agai-"

"It's not that, Caster."

I lay down on the futon and curl up into a fetal position.

"As I am now, you'll never have a chance at winning the Grail."

"Ayaka, I don't want the Grail if I can't win it alongside you."

"No, Caster, you don't understand. I would only be a liability. If a Servant were to try and kill me, I would let them; I'd welcome it."

"I would stop them."

"Not if I don't let you."

I curl up tighter.

"I'm broken, Caster. I want to die. I'm afraid."

"Rider can't hurt you from beyond the grave, Ayaka."

"No, I'm not afraid of Rider. I'm afraid of me. Of who I am. Of what I might do. Of what I might be willing to do."

"Ayaka, you're not going to do anything; what happened with Rider, was unexpected. It was your first time using a Broken Phantasm, you did not comprehend its destructive power."

"But I threw that spear with the intent to kill"

"She was going to kill you if you didn't."

"I should have found another way! A way to stop her; or to break Shinji's command! Some other way!"

I feel Caster gently holding me in an embrace.

"Ayaka, it wasn't something you could have helped. Any rational human would have done the same in your position."

"How? How can you still bear to touch me, to hold me, after what I did? After that horror?"

As I struggle to hold back tears, Caster lifts my head and places it upon her lap.

"I can do so, because I know exactly how you feel."

"You know how it feels to brutally murder a person?"

"No, but I know how it feels to brutally murder a hundred thousand people, including a person who was the most important person in my life."

I open my eyes. Her face is directly above mine, her eyes filled with sadness and regret.

"Let me tell you a story; the story of a single girl who caused the brutal massacre of a whole nation. The story of one spoiled, arrogant, selfish little 14-year-old girl named Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche."


	18. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: Hello again :3 It's been a while. In this chapter, I cover Caster's backstory. Note that it differs slightly in the details from the official tale. For people already familiar with the Story of Evil, feel free to skim through right up to the last bit. For newcomers, I welcome you into the tale of a young queen.**

**As always, please Read and Review. Especially Review. I'd like to see how readers react to my writing; part of the reason I'm writing this piece is to improve myself as a writer.**

**P.S. I have decided not to include the sex scene. I may allude to it, but I probably won't describe it for 2 reasons: 1) I don't think the relationship between Caster and Ayaka requires consummation as an affirmation for their mutual love. 2) I have never written a sex scene in my life; and learning to do so is rather low on my list of priorities.**

**P.P.S. I would really appreciate it if anyone with tips/experience regarding writing a kiss scene could PM me, thanks :D**

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><p>"A long time ago, there was a kingdom, formally known as the Kingdom of Lucifenia, though many instead refer to it as the Kingdom of Yellow. This Kingdom was vast and powerful, with a strong military and a longstanding monarchy. But, there was a brief period of time, when this Kingdom was embroiled in tumult and war. This was during the reign of one Riliane Lucifen D'Autriche, a 14-year-old girl who, by some cruel twist of fate, ended up as ruler of the Kingdom. In any other kingdom, such a ruler would be carefully advised by those around her, for good or for ill; that was not the case in the Lucifenian hierarchy. In the Kingdom of Lucifenia, the monarch's word was law: none dared oppose it, none dared question it.<p>

Riliane was a pampered little girl, only thrust unto the throne by the unexpected demise of her mother. As monarch, she felt that she was entitled to do whatever she wanted, that her desires were of the highest importance, and the behavior of the nobles that surrounded her only reinforced that belief. Conceding to her every request, the nobles worked only to curry favour, to ensure that they would benefit from her rule. None cared about the state of the land, nor about her; All of them were working only to further their own objectives, and this Queen could hardly care less, as long as she got her snacks and amusement in ample amounts.

Yet, there was one subject who displayed concern for this foolish monarch, a level of concern she would only notice later on in life, when it no longer mattered. One subject always cared for Riliane's needs, watched over her in her sleep, ensured her requests were met, and most of all, gave her advice on how to govern. And no matter how haughty the queen acted, how dismissive she was of his opinions, he never stopped. He never stopped giving her advice and pointing her in the right direction. This subject was a boy, around her age, named Allen Avadonia; You probably recognize the name, Ayaka.

Allen was a kind boy: a loyal servant, a peerless fighter, a talented musician. Eventually, the queen learned to trust in him and confide in him. She held him in a dual role: as the servant, in public, Allen was treated with haughtiness and dismissal, much like her other subjects. In private, when the two of them alone were in the queen's chambers, he was a friend, and they spent many an afternoon making beautiful music together: the queen with her sweet voice and the servant with his masterful accompaniment. They came up with a secret way to communicate as they were in public: the queen would write a letter and seal it up in a bottle, passing the bottle discreetly to Allen for him to read. Always, these messages contained the queen's true feelings. Used to pass both playful messages and to pass serious messages, from "I think the prime minister's head looks strange" to "I feel so very alone in this palace", these messages formed the core and the symbol of the queen's trust in the servant, and the servant's unwavering loyalty to the queen.

Throughout her life, Riliane had only Allen to count on for support, for guidance. Never once was he disloyal, even when she commanded him to commit atrocities and terrible deeds – for he was adept at espionage and assassination, and Riliane often employed him to this end. Unfortunately, she was too self-absorbed in her petty little complaints and fancies, she failed to fully appreciate him, until it was far too late.

As a ruler, Riliane was completely ineffectual. Under her rule, the once-great country began to crumble. To service her lifestyle of leisure, she raised taxes to phenomenal levels. She executed all who raised objections. Under the rule of this tyrant, the people began to grow resentful. Ruled by an oppressive, naïve, tyrannical child, the stirrings of unrest began to be heard. The people were beginning to refer to Riliane as "the Daughter of Evil". However, Riliane did not notice, nor would she have cared if she did. They were, after all, just insolent fools. She could have them all executed if she so pleased. In fact, when one of her generals had tried to smuggle bread out of the palace to feed the starving citizenry, Riliane had him assassinated as an example. Indeed, even in those ominous days, the most common phrase heard in the palace was:

"Oh, is it snack time yet?"

Riliane was engaged to be married to a young prince of the neighbouring Kingdom of Marlon, also known as the Kingdom of Blue, named Kyle Marlon. Of course, the marriage was a purely political one, intended to cement the ties between the Kingdoms of Lucifenia and Marlon. It had been arranged some time in the past by the previous queens of Lucifenia and Marlon respectively. As such, Prince Kyle visited the land periodically. On one such visit, the prince decided to make a visit to the far smaller country of Elphegort, the Land of Green, as part of his itinerary. He mentioned the idea to Riliane, who granted him an escort, despite not understanding why he would want to meet commoners.

However, he stayed on almost a week longer than expected. Riliane took no notice of his absence, considering him to be as insignificant as those who waited upon her. Finally, he returned with a disturbed look on his face. Riliane noticed his strange behavior, but took no interest. Two weeks after he left for the Kingdom of Marlon, Riliane received a letter. I have a copy of it here."

Pausing in her tale, Caster focuses for a moment, and a single envelope materializes in her hands. She hands it to me.

_"My dearest Riliane,_

_I am deeply sorry for this, but I have thought long on this matter, and have come to a decision. I cannot marry you. I know the marriage was arranged by our parents, but I cannot bring myself to marry someone I feel no romantic love for, not after experiencing that love in that one beautiful week in Elphegort. I know that you, too, feel nothing for me, and therefore hope you are able to understand. This is selfish of me, but I feel it is something I must do. I hope to receive forgiveness from you for my breach of this promise, but I truly believe this is for the best. My hope is that we can remain on friendly terms, and that the alliance of Lucifenia and Marlon is not jeopardized by my selfishness._

_With greatest apologies,_

_Kyle."_

I hand the letter back. Caster takes it, avoids looking at it, and sets it on the ground. She continues her story.

"When she received this letter, Riliane was furious. How dare some commoner take her fiancé away from her? Of course, the letter was completely true: Riliane felt nothing for the prince. Her wrath was not due to the fact that her fiancé had fallen in love, it was due to the fact that her fiancé had left _her_ for love of another. It stung her inflated pride that anyone could be preferred over her. With that in mind, she made a fatal decision: she would kill the woman Kyle had fallen in love with, believing that would cause Kyle to love only her, as she felt was right. She drafted a reply riddled with lies, claiming to understand, promising that the ties would remain close between the two kingdoms and asserting that the two would remain close friends, ending with an invitation to visit whenever he wanted.

True enough, about three weeks later, Kyle visited again, and was greeted warmly by Riliane. Believing relations between the two to be unharmed, he again requested a day to visit Elphegort. Again, Riliane offered him an escort, but he refused. He left the next day with Riliane's permission. However, unbeknownst to him, he was trailed closely by Allen, under orders from Riliane to find out about the mystery lover. He reported back to her, informing her that he had been unable to get close enough to discover the identity of the woman, but found out from the villagers that Kyle had been seen with a green-haired woman who resided in the Freesis estate.

Upon Kyle's return, Riliane acted perfectly calm and civil, wishing him a safe return to Marlon and expressing a wish for him to visit again soon. At the same time, Allen received a sealed bottle, with a message inside:

_"Go to Elphegort. Find out the woman who caught Kyle Marlon's attention. Report her name back to me."_

Thus, Allen went to Elphegort. There he stayed for close to a week, before reporting back the same information, since the people of Elphegort were closely-knit and almost xenophobic: He did not know the woman's name, and despite week-long inquiries, all he could find out was that she stayed at the Freesis estate and had green hair. Knowing Allen to be far too talented at espionage and intelligence to produce such failure, Riliane grew suspicious. She sent him to Elphegort again, but had another talented spy, Ney Futapie, trail him.

This time, Ney arrived before Allen, reporting a startling fact: Allen seemed to have fallen in love with a green-haired woman, by the name of Michaela. This revelation drove Riliane to fury. Women with green hair had stolen from her twice: first, they had stolen her fiancé. Then, they had stolen the loyalty of her servant. Such insolence!

She convened her court and made a declaration, a fateful, horrible declaration:

**_"Kill all the women in Elphegort with green hair."_**

Her ministers did not even try to dissuade her, they simply prepared for war. In their eyes, conquering Elphegort meant gaining more land, ergo, gaining more wealth. As the nation prepared for war, a war funded by even higher taxes on the people, Allen arrived back in Lucifenia, reporting once more that he had been unable to find out the name of the woman who had taken Kyle Marlon's heart, Riliane, in a vengeful state of mind, pretended to believe him, and told him to rest, while pressing a sealed bottle into his hand.

In that bottle, that medium which had for so long served as the symbol of the bond between them, was a single, short message:

**_'Kill Michaela.' _**"

At the point, Caster stops her narration. I can see her struggling to hold back tears. She fails. The tears fall on my face, warm droplets of grief and regret. Finally, she stems the tide and continues her story.

"Ever the faithful servant, Allen betrayed his heart and killed Michaela for Riliane; Ney Futapie had followed him to make sure he did. The invasion of Elphegort began. The army of Lucifenia attacked the smaller country, razing the forests, brutally seeking out and slaughtering every green-haired woman and girl in the land. Motivated by the fear of a painful execution by Riliane's orders, every soldier marched forth and carried out her selfish, evil demand. The name of the Daughter of Evil became cemented in history as the name of a tyrant and a demon in the guise of a girl.

Shortly after the invasion began, Riliane received a letter from Kyle. Not reading it, she threw it into the fire. It was probably a declaration of war; not important to her. Even in these days, filled with turmoil and unrest, the most oft-heard words from the queen's mouth were:

_"Oh, is it snack time yet?"_

With the genocide of Elphegort accomplished, the Lucifenian army returned from the campaign, exhausted physically and broken psychologically. They were not greeted with fanfare, but with redeployment: the army of Marlon had begun advancing towards Lucifenia. The tired soldiers were sent to fight against the powerful army of Marlon. Tired with the war, disgusted with themselves, many soldiers deserted; many more defected. Meanwhile, many of the citizens of Lucifenia had banded together and begun to rise in revolt, led by a warrior in red: Germaine Avadonia, Daughter to Leonhart Avadonia – the great general who had been assassinated for feeding the peasantry – and sister to Allen Avadonia.

At this point, many of Riliane's subjects had begun to abandon her. The few who stayed were Venomania Gast(a mercenary), the head maid Mariam Futapie(who was a brilliant spy and assassin, one of the great Heroes of Lucifenia) and, of course, the ever-faithful Allen. Even after Riliane's act of cruelty, Allen's loyalty and devotion to his queen never once wavered. He continued to stay by her side, to protect her, even knowing he might have to combat his sister, the revolutionary leader.

Eventually, the rebels, in alliance with the kingdom of Marlon, stormed Lucifenia Palace. Gast and Mariam fought against the rebels, holding their own against countless enemies, feats great enough to grant them places in the Throne of Heroes, but ultimately both fell. While they delayed the mob, Allen and Riliane were in her Riliane's bedchamber, awaiting the end. Riliane, fearful for her life, mentioned that there was a secret passageway in the room that would lead them out of the castle and to safety. Allen rejected the idea; he told her:

_"If they don't find you here, they'll hunt you until they find and kill you. We can't just run away. You have to die here."_

Riliane said,_ "Are you going to kill me then? Become a hero?"_

He simply responded with_ "No."_

He suggested a most ludicrous plan: he requested to take Riliane's place. It was plausible: being as self-centred as she was, Riliane had never noticed it, but the two were almost identical. They shared the same features, the same eyes, even the same height. Concerned only with her own life, Riliane agreed, and hurriedly switched clothes with him. As she arranged his hair to look like hers, she asked, out of curiosity,

_"I must thank you; you have always been by my side, been my only companion. Yet, now I must ask you. Why do you sacrifice your life for me?"_

He took her to the secret passageway's entrance while explaining.

_"You know me as Allen Avadonia. But I am not Leonhart Avadonia's son. I am his foster son. 14 years ago, a pair of twins, a boy and girl were born to the royal family."_

Riliane began to have some understanding of what he was about to say. He continued:

_"However, the king received a prophecy that one of the twins would bring ruin to the kingdom if allowed to rule. At random, the king selected one of the twins, the boy, and gave him to one of the Heroes of Lucifenia, General Leonhart Avadonia, to raise as his own."_

It was at this point the girl began to cry. The truth was coming to light.

_"My real name is Allen Lucifen D'Autriche."_

Riliane hugged her brother tight, and begged to switch back, begged to be allowed to die while Allen was allowed to live. However, Allen only shook his head. He told her the most powerful words she had been told in her life.

_"All my life, I have lived for you. Your happiness was mine. Now, I want you to live for me. Whatever happens, you must live, for the both of us. Please."_

He smiled at her, wiped the tears off her face, and concluded:

_"Now, my dear sister, goodbye. I have always loved you."_

And closed the door of the secret passage, locking it tight. Riliane stayed where she was and cried. She heard the door open and the sound of footsteps. She heard her twin saying, in her own high-pitched, haughty voice,

_"What insolence!"_

Several hours later, in the city square, Riliane, wearing a hooded robe, stood in the town square alongside a host of angered citizens, witnessing the execution meant for her. She saw Allen, still dressed as her, led to the guillotine, his neck carefully positioned. The executioner asked him whether he had any final word. The response was so revolting to the public, the executioner barely waited for him to finish before releasing the guillotine.

Playing the part to the end, in my shrill voice, Allen Lucifen D'Autriche's final utterance was:

**_"Oh, is it snack time yet?"_**'

Caster, having ended her story, bursts into tears.

I simply look at her. I had murdered one person. She had caused a genocide and led her brother to his death. By comparison, what I had done was nothing. Yet, now, she looks so fragile, so upset, that I cannot find it in my heart to feel disgust.

Even if I could, I know her. I know who she is. She is a kind, beautiful woman with a wondrous voice. I can find no trace of the arrogance and haughtiness she had mentioned in her tale. I could tell that the weight of her sins had broken her, but, from what I knew of her, she had been bent and broken into a better shape. Perhaps the same could happen for me.

Caster notices me staring at her, and looks down with sorrowful eyes.

"I guess you hate me now…"

I shake my head and sit up, then hug her tightly.

"Caster…no, Riliane…What you did was horrible. But I can tell you're not the same person. You're not arrogant, you're not prideful. You're kind, you're wise, you're compassionate. The suffering you felt from the guilt of your actions has changed you, I'm sure. You're a better person now."

Caster holds on to me tighter, crying.

"You were able to move on. Despite your crimes, you ended up as a kind and amazing person. You've showed me that it's possible for a murderer to be redeemed. You've shown me that it's possible for me to be redeemed. Thank you, Riliane. And…"

I hold her by the shoulders and look straight into her reddened eyes. In this moment, all inhibitions are cast aside. I pull her lips closer to mine.

"I love you."

We kiss.


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: Hello :3 here's the next chapter of Fate/Second Sight. I love fluff. I adore it. Too bad I'm terrible at writing it T_T I apologise if my writing comes across as incredibly sappy. It's an old habit, and I'm trying to improve as I go along. Hopefully it starts getting better in the near future. This chapter had rather boring content, so I decided to make full use of it by fleshing out the characters a bit more and underscoring some personality quirks. **

**I feel kind of sad that I only got one review for that last chapter :/ oh well. I don't write this for the reviews! It would be great if you could leave one, though. Some affirmation if you think my writing's good, or some criticism if there are areas I need to improve upon would be much appreciated; I want to see if I'm taking the right direction with this.**

**Finally, a disclaimer. I own literally NOTHING in this story (except maybe my version of Ayaka). All character trademarks, images, names, symbols, etc. belong to either Type-Moon or Crypton Future Media/MotHY(Akuma-P)**

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><p>I feel Caster's soft tongue intertwining with mine, forging anew a bond of love. I feel the soft, pleasant pressure of her lips against mine. I feel the heat of her breath. We break away, gasping, our faces almost touching, but not quite; this close, I can clearly see her deep, blue eyes. A brilliant sky blue, they are set with a look of warmth, of adoration. She gazes straight back into my eyes, and I take in the true beauty of Caster. Her eyes are wide and kind, a vast expanse in which to lose myself. Her flawless skin, dyed a bright red, tempt me with the prospect of feeling it against my own. Her small mouth, perfect in its shape and colour, quivers slightly as she exhales. I place my hand behind her head, feeling the softness and smoothness of her beautiful golden hair. I pull her towards me and we lock lips once more.<p>

With every second, more of me breaks away, disintegrates. My apprehension, my trepidation, my doubts, all are slowly stripped away, leaving only my raw, exposed soul, a soul that delights in Caster's gentle touch, in the warmth of Caster's lips. The notion of "Emiya Ayaka" disappears. In this moment, all I can comprehend is the notion of "us", the notion of interconnectedness that exists between us in this intimate instant.

Slowly, reluctantly, I draw away from Caster. Mustering the will to resist Caster's adorable look of confusion and disappointment, I force myself to remain calm.

"Caster…Thank you for sharing your story. It must have been hard."

Caster raises her eyes to meet mine, wearing a small smile.

"You're right. It was hard. Telling the story itself wasn't that painful. I have had to do it several times in the past, often to remind myself of what I had done. But what was painful was waiting to see your reaction. I thought you might hate me if I told you, that's why I refused to tell you until now. But…"

She takes my hand in both of hers and holds it tight.

"Now that I know you don't, I'm glad that I told you. I want you to know everything about me, just as I want to know everything about you."

"Caster…"

Her hands tighten, her blue eyes shimmer in the light as a layer of tears forms over them.

"I love you, Ayaka. I haven't loved someone like this before. It's all so new, so strange; but I know it'll be fine, somehow."

Yes. It will be fine. I finally realize that. All my struggling, my dilemmas, were unneeded. Caster loves me. I love Caster. That is all there is to it. Gender has no significance. Society has no significance. This love is, I think, pure. Genuine.

"Even if we lose the Grail War, I am happy to have been with you. I am glad that you were summoned as my Master. Thank you…for everything."

That's right. I was so worried about how I was feeling. I kept telling myself, it can't be love. It's not right. It's not natural. Now I know. It is love. It's completely right. It's the most natural thing in the world.

"No. Thank you, Caster. Thank you for telling me your story. Knowing that you managed to move on and become the wonderful person you are…I think I can move on too. In more ways than one."

I reach in again for another kiss. We engulf each other passionately, my hands moving along her hair and her slender back. I feel Caster's warm hands on my back and close my eyes, allowing myself to sink into the feeling of melting away, of falling into Caster.

The door slams open, accompanied by the voice of Rin.

"Caster, is she awake yet?"

The two of us jolt, shaken out of our moment of ecstasy. We turn to look at Rin, catching a glimpse of her wide-eyed, shocked face.

"…I'll wait for you in the living room. I need to discuss something with you after you're done."

The door closes again. I hear the sound of retreating footsteps. I meet Caster's eyes. I feel my face getting hotter. She averts her gaze, blushing furiously. The awkward atmosphere persists for a minute or so, before I dispel it by breaking out into a giggle. Caster looks at me, confused, but soon joins in.

Sitting here, with the one I love, just laughing and enjoying each other's company. I wish we could do this forever, simply stay like this until the end of time.

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><p>Rin shifts her gaze between Caster and myself, a vivid blush adorning her face. As we giggle slightly at her embarrassed face, she angrily glares at me.<p>

"I suppose this means you're feeling better now? Then we can get down to business."

I raise a question that's been bothering me.

"Hey, um. Tohsaka. Why are you here? Didn't you say we were going to be enemies, or something?"

Rin pushes up her glasses and takes on a serious tone of voice.

"Shinji was stealing life force from uninvolved parties to support his Servant. There's no guarantee other Masters won't do the same. Rider is gone, I know you won't do anything to hurt people – hell, I don't think you even know the needed spell – I have ample magic reserves at the ready, as does Illyasviel von Einzbern, so neither of us will need to do anything of the sort. However, the Masters of Saber, Assassin and Lancer are still unknown to us. They might resort to such methods."

Rin brushes back her hair.

"Until Saber, Assassin and Lancer are defeated, I think it more advisable for us to work together, if only to minimize collateral damage. After that is done, we can think about taking down Berserker in tandem, or, if you're still opposed, we can go our separate ways."

As usual, Rin identified the problem, saw the implications and decided upon the most appropriate course of action.

"I agree to your suggestion. We should try and prevent as much collateral damage as possible."

Rin visibly relaxes. It seems she had been afraid I would refuse.

"By the way, what happened to Shinji?"

Rin scowls.

"Oh, Archer says that the bastard ran straight for the church once he sent Rider after us. The bloody coward sacrificed his Servant to escape."

I had once thought that no matter what Shinji did or said, he would never disgust me more than he already had. I was wrong. I am, at this point, experiencing blatent contempt regarding that person.

"I'm guessing we can't touch him as long as he's in the church?"

"That's correct; the church is a neutral ground. As long as he's under the church's protection, we can't get to him."

"Why don't you ask that fake priest to hand him over? He seems to like you a lot."

"Trust me, Kotomine hates him as much as we do. That fake priest detests the sight of weakness. If he could, he would have killed Shinji himself. But he has to obey the rules of the church."

Annoyed, I turn my attentions away from the matter of the scumbag known as Matou Shinji.

"So, what next?"

Rin leans forward on the table, resting her head atop her crossed fingers. She smiles at me sweetly. A veritable chill runs down my spine. I have a feeling that this will not end well for me.

"We need to identify the last three Masters. But first, we have to draw them out."

I know what she expects me to ask, and I have the faintest premonition that to fulfill that expectation will seal my doom. She says nothing, simply looking at me, a twinkle in her eye, waiting for me to speak. Reluctantly, I resign myself to my destiny.

"And how are we going to draw them out?"

Rin's slight smile morphs into a complete grin.

"We're going to give them a tantalizing incentive to reveal themselves."

For a moment, I wonder what she means. Money? No, Rin's broke. Information? We're asking for information, we have nothing substantial to offer in return. Then I remember Rin's personality. And I see her devilish smile. And I remember the sense of foreboding I had felt. With all these in place, her meaning is perfectly clear.

"You want me to act as bait."

Rin winks and gives me a thumbs-up.

"That is absolutely correct! Full marks to you, Emiya."

I should have known this would happen.

"Why me?"

Rin takes on a lecturing pose, left arm across her torso, left hand under right elbow, right hand's index finger pointed upwards.

"In a Holy Grail War, Caster is seen as the weakest Servant. Since Caster-class Servants tend to be ineffectual in close combat, they rarely stand a chance against the other Servants, such as Saber, Lancer, or even Archer. For all intents and purposes, a team of two magi is far less effective than a team of a mage and a physical attacker. With the conventional team, the physical combatant can keep pressure of the opponent, while the mage is able to focus on sabotage and deceit. In other words, a Caster brings nothing new to the table, apart from possibly stronger magic. The Caster-class Servant has no way of compensating for the Master's weaknesses. Hence, Caster-class Servants and their Masters are often seen as easy prey."

Rin pauses her lecture to brush one of her twintails behind her shoulder. She then resumes her previous posture.

"In your case, it's a different situation. Your Caster uses Supportive rather than Offensive magic. Your strategy is a reversal of the traditional paradigm of the Servant as the combatant, with the Master providing magical support. Add to that your unique ability to project Noble Phantasms, the two of you are far from pushovers; as I'm sure you have to admit after what happened with Rider."

I tense up. Caster reaches for my hand and holds it gently. I take deep breaths and calm down. I told myself I would move on, I'm not going to disappoint Caster here. Rin, however, noticed my unease, and her posture softens somewhat.

"I'm sorry. That was insensitive."

I shake my head, motioning for her to continue her explanation, putting the vivid image of Rider's scattered body parts in the back of my mind. Rin takes up her lecture pose again, and continues.

"As I was saying, most Casters are pushovers in the Grail War. Even the Servant considered Second-worst, Assassin, has the Presence Concealment ability, and is thus seen as offering a unique advantage. Therefore, they won't expect a Master with a Caster-class Servant to be able to pose a threat in close quarters. In other words,"

Rin locks eyes with me.

"They won't expect you. If you go out into town at night with only Caster, the other Masters will likely jump at the opportunity to eliminate someone they feel is an easy kill. They will attempt to engage you, not knowing the combat style unique to the two of you. With that, you'll have the advantage of surprise, which will then allow you to defeat the opponent, or escape easily, depending on your confidence. Of course, I won't leave you completely alone. I'll be watching with Archer from another vantage point. If things go bad, I can help out."

"And how do I know you won't snipe me and take me out from said vantage point?"

"You don't. I guess you'll have to stay alert."

"That cheerful tone of voice is entirely inappropriate for that statement."

I consider it for a while. Rin made sense. I glance at Caster, who simply looks at me questioningly. She evidently intends to conform to my judgement on this issue. It's true that others could get hurt if we do not at least identify the other Masters. And I think I trust Rin enough to assume that she'll honour our temporary alliance.

"All right, what do you want me to do?"

Rin smiles.

"I was thinking about that earlier, and I came up with a brilliant idea just now."

Rin leans in closer.

"I want you to bring Caster on dates. Every night, until a Master attacks you."


End file.
